Sailor Ranko: The harder they fall
by burgerbecky
Summary: Completed Fic. Sailor Sun/Ranma vs. Godzilla tale R/R please!
1. Prologue

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 1 Prologue  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me the very model of a modern Major General or give me information vegetable, animal, and mineral. (If you know the rest of the song, you can get psychiatric help.)  
  
  
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For first time readers to the Sailor Ranko saga...  
  
Read Sailor Ranko by Fire.  
  
Read Twice in a Millennium by Kevin D. Hammel  
  
It's past your bedtime. Go to sleep.  
  
Read Sailor Ranko: Tunnel Vision.  
  
Read Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water.  
  
Have a holy man perform an exorcism on you. You read too much fan fiction. If you still want punishment, don't say I didn't warn you. This is your final warning. Turn back now.  
  
  
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It was a dark and stormy night. Ranma Saotome had the unfortunate problem of being the reincarnation of Angwyn Weaver. She was Sailor Sun in the Silver Millennium. So, his punishment was for him to become Sailor Sun in this life and to wrap up the suffering, Akane Tendo became Sailor Io. He can't get a break.  
  
The Saotomes now live a chaotic married life in Juuban in a tiny apartment on the top floor of a twelve-story apartment building. The Nerima chaos followed them and like always, they adapted. The other Sailor Scouts sometimes get worried about the awesome powers these two Senshi possess since they also are super martial artists.  
  
And so, the adventure begins again...  
  
And again...  
  
And again...  
  
Ah, what the hell, on with the show!  
  
  
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It was another day in Juuban.  
  
Ami was getting ready to do some late night studying. She had to go to her college prep school tomorrow and she had an exam to take. Her Mercury computer beeped. She picked it up and saw something that she hadn't seen in months.  
  
All across town, Senshi communicators beeped. It was a youma alert. Six blocks from Juuban High School was a rogue youma. It was time for the Scouts to go into action.  
  
Ranko was dressed in her kimono and had finally applied her make up and was ready to go to work when the call came. She worked at an upscale sushi bar as a waitress. It was the only job should could get since no one wanted to hire a full-time martial artist and Ukyou gave her a stellar recommendation. She quickly transformed into Sailor Sun. As soon as she left the bedroom of the apartment, Sailor Io met her in the living room and the pair jumped out of the top floor balcony together. They used a ki blast to soften the landing and ran toward the trouble spot.  
  
Io and Sun were the first to arrive at the street corner where the youma was spotted. The only had to wait a few seconds before the sound of a car being stepped on led them to their target. The youma was five meters tall and looked like a giant muscle-bound ogre. It was red in color, had a tiny head and moved very slowly. It didn't appear that it had a chance to drain anyone yet. Sun and Io stood before it and made a pose. They quickly snapped out of it.  
  
Sun called out, "Searing Plasma Blast!" She formed a fireball in her hand and threw it at the youma like a baseball. A massive explosion detonated on impact on the youma's thigh.  
  
Io called out, "Lava Blast!" She waved her arms and held her palms out in the direction of the monster and a ball of lava flew out and exploded on the creature.  
  
The magic attacks hit the youma and it reeled in pain. It formed and threw a fireball at Io. She easily dodged the attack.  
  
Sun turned to Io, "Don't you have anything other than 'Lava Blast'?"  
  
Io shrugged. As a newly created Senshi without a past life to draw from, she was very weak. She only had a single magical attack. She was far from helpless. "I've got Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken and Bakusai Tenketsu."  
  
Sun saw that the creature was radiating a lot of heat. "Hey Io. Are you ready to try out the Hiryu Shoten Ha?" Sailor Sun had been training Io in all of her martial arts techniques. Io had mastered the run and punch of the Hiryu Shoten Ha but had never actually used it in combat.  
  
Io stood next to her husband, "Let's do it!"  
  
Sun began her run. "Remember dear, heart of ice!"  
  
Io followed. "Got it!"  
  
Sailors Sun and Io began to run around the youma in a circle. They were on opposite sides and started to get closer and closer to the creature. The youma was confused. Usually Senshi would be preparing a magical attack at this time or making a speech, not running pointlessly around it. It charged up a fireball to dispose of these pests.  
  
Sailor Moon and the other Inner Scouts arrived and saw the two newest Senshi doing their run. Moon thought, "Good, they're distracting it, time for my speech." Sailor Moon made a pose. She spoke with authority. "I am Sailor Moon! We are here to right wrongs and..."  
  
In unison the Saotome team screamed out and punched the air, "Hiryu Shoten Ha!"  
  
BOOM! The youma flew into the air carried by the powerful tornado.  
  
Moon spoke slowly as she watched the youma gain altitude. "Fight evil and..."  
  
Io and Sun took positions outside of the reach of the vortex. The youma was helpless and couldn't offer any defense. They casted their magical attacks.  
  
"Searing Plasma Blast!"  
  
"Lava Blast!"  
  
BIGGER BOOM! The youma exploded in a giant fireball and rained roasted youma parts everywhere.  
  
Sailor Mars was holding her nose. Sailor Moon and the rest were completely covered with youma goo. Moon moaned as the glop oozed down her face. She finished her speech. "I need a bath."  
  
Sun and Io turned to see the other Senshi and cried together. "Whoops!"  
  
Jupiter approached them and shook her head. She looked down at her own slime-encrusted fuku. "Pretty impressive. Is that a new attack?"  
  
Io fidgeted. "For me it is. Sun taught it to me a few days ago."  
  
Jupiter pointed to Sun. "She taught you a magical attack? How?"  
  
Sun put her hand behind her head and gave a cocky smile. "It's an Amazon technique I picked up a while ago."  
  
Jupiter threw her hands in the air. "Why did we even bother showing up?"  
  
Venus ran up to Sun. "Can you teach me that attack?"   
  
Jupiter was flustered. She spun to face Sun and begged, "Teach it to me too!"  
  
Moon cried, "I want a cool attack like that!"  
  
Sun took a step back, "Uh... You need to be a trained martial artist like Io and I to even try to attempt a Hiryu Shoten Ha." Io beamed at the compliment.  
  
Jupiter stood at attention. She didn't like her martial arts skills being belittled. "Hey! I'm a martial artist too."  
  
Sun pointed a single hand to a brick wall. "Moko Takabisha!" A ball of ki erupted from her hand and blew a chunk of bricks out of the wall. "Can you do that?"  
  
Jupiter took a stance, "Sure can. Sparkling Wide..."   
  
Sun pushed her arm down. "That's a magic attack! I'm talking about martial arts. Can you cast your ki?" She turned to Io, "Show her."  
  
Io aimed at a different spot at the wall. She raised her arms above her head like she was going to swing a mallet. "Thunder Hammer Strike!" She threw her arms over her head and a ball of blue energy flew out and blew another hole in the wall next to Sun's impact crater. Io smiled at her handiwork.  
  
Sun turned to Venus and Jupiter. "When you can do that without magic, you are ready for the Hiryu Shoten Ha."  
  
A siren could be heard approaching. That was the usual cue for the Senshi to leave the area. Mars was still holding her nose. "I'm going back to the shrine and clean up. Phew!" She ran off and Mercury trailed behind her dripping a trail of yucky stuff all over the street.  
  
Jupiter stared at the damage to the wall. "Well Sun, I guess we step up the martial arts lessons."  
  
Io suggested, "We practice every morning on the roof of our apartment. Come at 5AM and you can join us."  
  
"I just might do that." Jupiter quickly ran off after Mars and Mercury.  
  
Venus wanted to sob. "Five! You mean as in five in the morning? You've got to be kidding right?"  
  
Sun glanced at her communicator. It had a clock on it. Sun looked at Moon, "I've got to go to work. Io will fill me in on the Scout meeting. See ya!" She called out, "Sun Beam Transport!" She invoked her teleportation spell and vanished in a flash of light.  
  
Io took Venus's hand, "Let's get to Mars' place. We can talk about schedules there." The two ran after Jupiter.  
  
Moon stood there coated with reddish gooey stuff that smelled like a sewer. "WAAAHHHH!!" She turned and ran after her warriors. "Don't leave me behind you guys!"  
  
  
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The six Inners regrouped at Mars' shrine. They discussed the youma attack and Mercury assured everyone that this was not yet another invasion but an isolated incident. It quickly degenerated into a pointless argument over who got covered with more goo and who had the coolest magical attack.  
  
Jupiter, Io and Venus started trying to practice Sailor Sun's teleportation spell. They met with absolutely no success. Mars and Mercury had a good laugh at watching how silly the three looked as they each called out "Sun Beam Transport" or "Jupiter lighting Transport" or any other play on the words to make themselves vanish and reappear somewhere else.  
  
Moon as usual cried that some Scouts had powers that she didn't and she was silenced when Io transformed to Akane and ran off and brought back a bowl of ice cream for her. The magic of ice cream could calm even the foulest of moods. All of the Senshi except for Moon changed back to normal.  
  
Moon finished her ice cream and stood before the group. She raised her arm to the sky and pulled it down like she was pulling an invisible chain. "Moon Beam Transport!" She stood there. Nothing had happened.  
  
Rei clapped her hands. "Bravo dumpling head! Now say it like you really mean it!"  
  
Moon changed to Usagi. "You're such a meenie!"  
  
Rei stood up. "You're a ditz!"  
  
Ami tapped her pencil to the table. "Please can we discuss homework assignments?"  
  
Rei, Akane, Usagi and Minako turned on Ami and all stuck out their tongues and gave a collective raspberry. Makoto just ignored everyone and read her schoolbook.  
  
It was business as usual for the Sailor Senshi. They might have been seventeen years old, but they had the maturity of five year olds.  
  
Usagi whined, "Stop picking on me!"  
  
Rei retorted, "When you grow up!"  
  
Makoto put down her book. "Wanna hear about my old boyfriend?"  
  
"NO!" Came from the crowd.  
  
  
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It was past eleven o'clock at night. It was the same old routine for Sailor Sun. She would teleport near work, change to Ranko, slave away as a waitress for the dinner crowd then hide, transform and teleport home. The Saotomes had to pinch every penny to make ends meet since they were relying on their own income to support themselves in Juuban.  
  
Akane was studying her homework at the dining room table when Sailor Sun appeared in the living room and like always fell in a crumpled heap fast asleep. Sailor Sun's teleportation magic worked perfectly during daylight but at night, she would pass out from lack of energy. Akane didn't even bother to notice how Sailor Sun was doing. Her peaceful snore was all she needed to hear.  
  
She turned the page of her English book trying to memorize that strange way that English words are spelled. She thought, "How can 'though' be pronounced like that?" She shook her head. English was weird.  
  
  
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It was a simple little park in the center of Juuban. It had a little lake and a small dock for tiny rowboats. A solitary figure walked from the shore to the edge of the dock. She walked with a purpose and elegance honed of centuries of experience. She had been forewarned of the event. She was pissed.  
  
A cloud appeared above the end of the dock. Lightning flashed and a teenaged pink haired girl fell from the sky followed by a little cathead shaped balloon. The girl landed with a thud and the balloon like object landed on her head. "Ouch! Why does that always hurt?" The girl rubbed the bump on her head and took a look around. She was facing toward the tiny lake and smiled.  
  
A small cat landed next to her. The kitty made a perfect four-point landing. The cat was about two years old and had a crescent moon mark on her forehead. She was not a kitten but she was not quite an adult either. Diana purred, "You know your mom is going to be very mad when she finds out."  
  
Chibi Usa stood up. She was slightly taller than her mother Usagi Tsukino. Usa was sixteen years of age and had a well-developed body and had been weight training. She wore a Juuban High School Sailor fuku with a gold necklace holding a small gold time key. She had two long light pink ponytails that reached to the ground and on her head they pointed upwards like bunny ears. Chibi Usa turned to Diana, "Only if we get caught!"   
  
In reply, Setsuna grabbed Chibi Usa by the scruff of the neck and picked her up off the ground. "You were saying?"  
  
"Oh hi Pu!" Usa tried to give an innocent smile to her friend in the 30th century but adversary in the 21st century. She knew she was in deep trouble. She grinned and played dumb.  
  
Setsuna of the 21st century was not amused. She saw what Usa was wearing around her neck. "Why did you steal the time key again?"  
  
"Mom said I could come. She sent me for more training!"  
  
Setsuna thought about alternate timelines she could create and send the girl into for punishment. Maybe she should have Genma Saotome teach her the Cat Fist? Maybe she should go on a ten-year training journey? Maybe she should tie her up and lock her in her bedroom back in Crystal Tokyo? Maybe she should go to the time of Usa's birth and tie her up at that moment in history. Duct tape had thousands of uses. Setsuna grinned evilly at the happy thoughts going through her mind. She tightened her grip on the tall future girl. "Somehow, I doubt you asked your mother for permission." Setsuna sensed the area to make sure no one was watching and produced her time staff. She gave it a wave and opened a portal back to the 30th century.  
  
"Ah! But I just got here!" Chibi Usa started struggling. She was held aloft and kicked the air.  
  
Setsuna saw the image of Usa's bedroom in the future through the rip in time she created. "And you're just leaving." She tried to pitch Usa into the rip but the girl grabbed her arm and wouldn't let go.  
  
"I don't want to go back!"  
  
"Let go of me Usagi!" Setsuna tried to remove the pink haired growth from her arm. The girl had grown taller and stronger since they last met.  
  
Chibi Usa used her legs and wrapped herself tight on Setsuna's arm. "I want to see Sailor Sun!"  
  
"I told you before, you can't!"   
  
"She and Io are awake now!"  
  
Setsuna couldn't deny that. The rip started to waver. She touched it with her staff with her free arm and it vanished. "Usagi! Let go! You already know about the danger of disclosing future events."  
  
"I kept my promise last time! I never gave a hint to my mom and the other scouts that I knew about Sun! I'll keep my word on the others."  
  
Setsuna sighed and lowered her arm. It was taking too much effort to hold her arm out with over forty-five kilos of extra weight on it. She couldn't create a new rip in time since two people just arrived taking an evening stroll in the park. Chibi Usa was safe for the moment. "Ok, you did keep your word. Everything went as it should have. However, I can't let you jump through time like it's a trip across town."  
  
Chibi Usa cheered up a little. "Can I please see her? Pretty please? I've always wanted to see her."  
  
Setsuna was not buying that excuse. "You've met her already. Probably hundreds of times by now."  
  
"But not in the 21st century! C'mon please!" She whined just like her mother. Any louder and windows for kilometers would shatter from the screech.  
  
Setsuna was not budging. "No."  
  
"Please."  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty Please."  
  
"No."  
  
"With sugar on it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty pretty please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I'll be good."  
  
"I doubt it. The answer is still no."  
  
Chibi Usa was far smarter than anyone gave her credit for. She did what she had to do. She was staying and that was that. She screamed. "HELP!"  
  
Setsuna went pale and shot glances in every direction. "Shut up!"  
  
Chibi Usa took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'M BEING KIDNAPPED! HHHHHEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPPPP!"  
  
People stared popping up all around the edge of the lake. They all started approaching the dock in an attempt to offer assistance to the girl in distress.  
  
Setsuna was not giving up. She faced the dock and slashed reality with her time staff. A rip was opened and Chibi Usa's bedroom appeared again. Setsuna raised her arm to cast Usa back to the future. Chibi Usa smiled and as soon as Setsuna's arm was at its highest point, she jumped off Setsuna, performed a flip and landed on her hands. She had her legs folded to her chest. She let gravity drop her so that her legs were aimed directly at Setsuna's back. She kicked with all her might hurling Setsuna into the rip and out of the 21st century and into the 30th century.  
  
"Usagi!" Setsuna was silenced as the rip closed up after her.  
  
Chibi Usa hopped to her feet and ran for it. Diana and Luna-P followed her. Setsuna was going to be back in moments and she would be demanding blood. Chibi Usa spoke to herself. "You're right Pluto. I meet Sailor Sun four times a week. She's a great martial arts instructor." She ran to her 21st century home and joined in the adventure that she knew she didn't want to miss.  
  
  
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Sailor Sun was startled awake. She bolted upright and looked around the room. Akane jumped at Sun's sudden move. "What's the matter Sun?"  
  
"Something's going on." Sun closed her eyes and meditated. "The feeling is gone now."  
  
Akane threw her pencil down on the table. "I hope it's not another fiance."  
  
Sailor Sun giggled and changed back to Ranko. "I hope not. I've got enough already."  
  
Akane got up and helped Ranko to her feet. "C'mon, let me get you some hot water."  
  
"Sounds like a plan."  
  
Ranko went to the bathroom and removed her kimono and wiped off her makeup. She was down to her boxer shorts. Akane poured the hot water to get her husband back. Ranma stood up and flexed his muscles. "Now that's more like it!"  
  
Akane growled. She grabbed his manly chest. "Let's go to bed."  
  
Ranma turned to his wife. "That really sounds like a plan." He scooped up Akane and held her in his arms. He took her to the bedroom and closed the door. They had a very good time that night. The neighbors had a hard time sleeping through the racket.  
  
  
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Usagi was sleeping in her bed with the latest manga she borrowed from Minako laying on her stomach. She was quietly snoring. She awoke to the sound of things being moved around in another room. Usagi cracked one eyelid open and listened again. Another sound came from the room that Chibi Usa used when she visited. Usagi's heart sank. "Oh no. She's back isn't she?"  
  
Usagi dragged her carcass out of bed and slumped to the doorway. She went over to peek inside and sure enough, there was a pink haired girl cleaning up the room to make it livable again. The room was used for storage when Chibi Usa wasn't around.  
  
Usagi did a double take. Chibi Usa was not six or eight years old. She was now a girl of fifteen or maybe sixteen years of age. She was wearing a Juuban High School sailor fuku. Her hair had grown longer and she looked far more mature than her age. Usa had a look of determination and purpose as she removed things from the bed and readied it for sleep. Luna-P floated around and Diana was curled up in a corner. Usagi coughed to get Usa's attention.  
  
Usa didn't pause her work. She kept going at a frantic pace to ready the room for living. "Hi mom."  
  
Usagi leaned in the doorway. "Mom? You look old enough to be my twin sister. What are you doing here again?"  
  
Usa put the finishing touches on the blankets she put on the bed and sat down. "Oh nothing."  
  
Usagi leaned harder into the door frame. "Is the future in trouble again?"  
  
Usa laughed. She didn't giggle. It was the laugh of a mature woman. "No. The future is fine."  
  
"So why are you here?"  
  
"I wanted to go to high school with you and the other Inners." She smiled.  
  
"You want to go to high school with me?" Usagi raised her eyebrows. She now was convinced that something was going on.  
  
"Yeah mom! How many daughters go to the same school with their mother?"  
  
Usagi held to the doorframe tight. "The ones who show up on Jerry Springer! You're freaking me out. I can't believe I'd let you visit me like this."  
  
Usa stopped smiling. She couldn't lie to her mother about that detail.  
  
Usagi figured it out. "I didn't allow this did I?" Usagi had to commit to memory, twenty-four hour surveillance for Chibi Usa during her teenage years. Heck, why not implant a tracking device from birth? Usagi groaned. "Why are you really here?"  
  
Usa jumped off the bed, did a somersault and landed in an attack stance. She was holding her moon scepter in her hand and looked like she was going to blast a hole in the wall. "Training!"  
  
Usagi blinked. "T-t-training? What kind of training?" She was already afraid of the answer.  
  
"Why Anything Goes Martial Arts of course! I'm here to meet Sailor Sun!"  
  
Usagi slid down the doorframe onto the floor. "Wake me up from this nightmare."  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from shutting off your electricity.  
  
Bill Heineman  
December 31, 2002  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	2. Senshi Training

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 2 Senshi Training  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me work at Disneyland dressed as Goofy. I'm goofy enough as it is.  
  
  
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Setsuna of the 21st century got up from the floor of Usa's bedroom in the 30th century. It was a typical teenager's bedroom with holograms of the current boy bands, a stack of manga crystals and a few stuffed animals on the ornate four-poster bed. A wall had a 3D TV with a stack of the latest holographic novels on data disks. Setsuna saw something she didn't expect in the doorway connected to Chibi Usa's room. It was a full weight room filled with futuristic exercise equipment. She noticed a 21st century style punching bag that had seen better days barely hanging from a hook in the ceiling. All of the training machinery was well worn from years of abuse.  
  
On the dresser drawer were holograms of Mamoru and Usagi in wedding attire. Next to it were hologram disks of several Sailor Senshi. Each disk was a base with a 3d translucent image of the person it represented. Setsuna picked up the one that had her own image on it. It was a likeness of Setsuna in a business dress and the image moved around like it was alive. She saw a little button on the bottom marked 'Action' and pressed it. The image called out, "Pluto Planet Power Make Up!" The holographic Setsuna changed from her normal form into her Senshi form with a complete magical transformation. Setsuna smiled at this little novelty item and put it back on the dresser. She saw holograms of Mercury, Jupiter, Sun, Moon and...  
  
Setsuna spun around to avert her eyes. She didn't want to look anymore. She had seen too much of the future. She transformed into Sailor Pluto. She gave her time staff a wave. She opened a portal and stepped into the time stream.  
  
Pluto went stood before the gates of time. She for a moment remembered all the years she had spent standing at this spot protecting the gates from intruders. She sighed. No one really understood the loneliness that she had suffered across time. She once wanted to take a husband in her life so long ago. She didn't want to watch him grow old and die while she stayed forever young. He was a dim memory now. She tried not to forget him but the years were cruel to her. She couldn't even remember his name anymore. She knew she could just pull up the images of him on the console inside the gates but she didn't want to reopen that old wound. She couldn't go back to the past. History transpired the way it did for a reason.  
  
Pluto waited for a few minutes. She knew she had to be fashionably late for herself. She loved to be the omnipotent knower of everything and loved to rub it in. She had tortured herself so many times, why should this time be any different?  
  
Future Pluto appeared and stood next to Sailor Pluto. Pluto gave a small bow and Future Pluto returned it. Pluto asked, "So, should I be worried?"  
  
Future Pluto laughed. "You? No, not really."  
  
Pluto thought, "I hate it when I do this to myself." Pluto shook her head, "Should I bring Chibi Usa back home?"  
  
Future Pluto gave no hint of emotion. "She will return when the time is right."  
  
"Any last words before I return to my time?"  
  
Future Pluto gave just a hint of sadness. "Things will happen as they were meant to be." She turned and disappeared.  
  
Pluto bowed toward where Future Pluto once stood. She opened a portal to the 21st century and went home.  
  
  
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Ranma got up and found his bed was empty. Akane had gotten up before him and left him alone. He got up and put on his gi. He felt Akane's presence on the roof and went out to the balcony and jumped to the roof ledge.  
  
Ranma was surprised at what he saw. Akane was wearing a black spandex tank top leotard and running shoes. She was practicing kicks into the air in front of Makoto who was wearing a green tank top leotard and running shoes as well. Ranma approached the girls in amusement, "Uh... That's a new look for you Akane. What gives?"  
  
Akane kept kicking. "Well, we dress like this when we fight."  
  
Ranma blushed just a tiny bit. "At least we wear a skirt."  
  
Makoto giggled at the remark. "Don't worry. It was my idea. I sometimes wore this at karate practice."  
  
Ranma understood, or so he thought. "Is that how you get your boyfriends?"  
  
Both girls stopped their practice. Makoto cast an icy stare at Ranma. "You're a girl too sometimes. You know how much freedom of movement this gives you."  
  
"Hey! I'm only half girl!" SPLASH!  
  
Minako had climbed up the fire escape and squirted her water bottle at Ranma. "Now you're all girl!" Minako was wearing her high school gym uniform. She gave an approving look to Akane and Makoto's outfits.  
  
Ranko felt the back of her gi and turned around. "Minako, what have you got against me being a guy? You have me join the girl's volleyball team and you undo my pig tail at every opportunity."  
  
Minako just smiled. "Well, you do make a cute girl."  
  
"Don't remind me." Ranko went to edge of the roof.  
  
Minako got worried. "Uh... Ranko?" Ranko jumped off. Minako ran to the edge and looked down expecting to see Ranko hit the ground with a splat.  
  
She saw Ranko on her balcony sticking her tongue out at her. "Fooled you!"  
  
Minako twitched her eyebrows and threw her water bottle at Ranko. "YOU!"  
  
Ranko caught the bottle and threw it back. She ran inside laughing all the way. "Ha ha ha!"  
  
Akane breathed deeply. "Minako, you know she can jump to the ground safely from here."  
  
Minako stared in shock. Sailor Venus would probably break her leg if she jumped from this height. "Don't tell me you can jump from here?"  
  
Akane gestured to Makoto to follow her to the roof edge. She stood on the short wall surrounding the roof and made a pose as if she was going to make a swan dive. "Now kids, don't try this at home." She casually dove off the ledge and fell twelve stories. She about to hit the ground when she shouted, "Thunder Hammer Strike!" The blast was controlled to give a current of air to slow down Akane so that she landed on the ground without injury. She ran away from the building and waved to her friends to let them know she was all right.  
  
Makoto and Minako were completely impressed. "WOW!" The two girls waved back.  
  
Akane ran a few steps back to the apartment building and ki jumped up three floors. She landed on a lower balcony and bounced like a pachinko ball from balcony to balcony until she reached the roof. She flipped over the roof wall and landed gracefully. She lifted her arms to the sky like a gymnast. "See, nothing to it."  
  
Makoto stood a few steps away from the edge. "That's easy for you to say."  
  
"Once you master your ki manipulations, you can do it too!" Akane smiled and trotted back to the center of the roof. She gestured to the two girls to step away from the edge and approach her to begin practicing again.  
  
Ranko reappeared at the edge of the roof. She was wearing a different well-worn gi and running shoes. "Here let me show you how it's done." Ranko took a neutral stance and practiced a simple sideways kick. "C'mon you two. Let's go!"  
  
Makoto easily duplicated the kick. Minako did the motion with a little difficulty but got it down in a few minutes of practice. Akane noticed the difference in footwear that Ranko wore. "Ok Ranko, off with the gi."  
  
Ranko smirked. She shed her gi showing the she was wearing a sexy black thong tank top leotard with a very low back. Akane couldn't win. Ranko always had to be the show off.  
  
Minako stopped her kicks. "Oh, that is SO cute!"  
  
Makoto turned to Akane. "Is Ranko always like this?"  
  
Akane whispered back. "Don't encourage her. It only makes it worse."  
  
The practice went on for the better part of an hour. Makoto sparred with Ranko while Akane was pummeling Minako. Makoto spent most of her time trying to hit Ranko who dodged almost every punch. The only punches that connected were ones Ranko allowed her too so that Ranko could counter attack to show the flaws in Makoto's defense. Akane concentrated on lightly striking Minako so she could learn to dodge since her dodging skill was almost non-existent.  
  
The four girls went to the apartment via the roof access stairs and cleaned up. Minako begged, "C'mon Ranko, put on your High School Sailor fuku."  
  
Ranko had logged enough hours as a female in her mind. She wanted to change back. "No."  
  
"Please."  
  
"Who are you? My Mother?" Ranko grabbed her male clothes and went the bathroom to shower and change. She shut and locked the bathroom door for a little privacy.  
  
Minako knocked on the door. "I've got some cold water for you."  
  
"Gimme a break will ya!"  
  
Akane decided to join in the fun. "Yeah Ranko, why not?"  
  
The voice from the bathroom cried. "Not you too!"  
  
The shower came on. The girls backed off for a moment. Minutes later, Ranma in his trademark red shirt and black pants came out of the bathroom. Makoto went into the restroom next. "Ranma, don't you wear anything else?"  
  
"Uh... Yeah I've got..." Ranma jumped to the side to avoid Minako's water blast from a plastic squeeze bottle. "Cut that out!"  
  
Minako was surprised at how Ranma dodged the water. She squirted again. Ranma did a flip over Minako. It was difficult maneuver since the apartment ceiling was only a little over three meters high. "I'm not going to school as a girl!"  
  
SPLASH!  
  
Minako was drenched. Akane threw the water at Ranma but he dodged it. He grabbed his schoolbooks and ran out the door. "I'm a guy today and that's that!"  
  
Akane shrugged. "We tried. You know, maybe his mom should ask him instead of us to have him go once a week as a girl to school."  
  
Minako moaned, "I'm soaked!"  
  
Makoto came out of the bathroom in her school uniform. "Then go shower and get dressed." She went back to the bathroom to dry her hair.  
  
Makoto and Minako waited for Akane to get ready and all three girls started on the trek to Juuban High School. They arrived at the front gates minutes later to find a very female and very wet Ranko standing in front waiting for them.  
  
Akane burst out laughing and pulled out Ranko's school uniform out of her bag. Akane had a feeling that fate would step in today.  
  
Ranko swiped the clothes from Akane with a look of utter defeat. "I swear! That old lady with the ladle is on every street corner." She went to the ladies room to change.  
  
  
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The South China Sea was home to some of the deepest waters in all of the Pacific Ocean. Here, a giant oil tanker was making its way to southern Japan with a load of crude oil. Captain Takashi was very bored. He was a weathered 45-year-old man who looked a lot older than he was. He devoted his entire life to the sea. He was proud to be in charge of his magnificent vessel, but the private sector was nowhere near as exciting as his stint in the Japanese Navy. At least in the navy, he got to shoot some guns.  
  
The first mate was playing his one hundredth game of solitaire. The pilot was watching a movie on his laptop computer. The other crewmembers were either watching the collection of DVD's in the mess hall again or sleeping or surfing the Internet with the ship's satellite connection. The captain was happy that the chances of the crew getting cabin fever was almost zero with all these modern distractions.  
  
A buzzer went off on the proximity alarm. The captain shifted in his chair. "Andy, what's going on?"  
  
Andrew Marshall was an American who had been piloting tankers for years. He went to the radar system and checked on the alarm. "Odd. The water here is over three thousand meters deep. There are no ships on surface radar."  
  
"Undersea mountain perhaps?" The captain seriously doubted that was the case. He had sailed this route dozens of times and he knew exactly what was under his vessel. It was kilometers of pure ocean water.  
  
The pilot checked the consoles. "There must be a malfunction. These readings can't be right."  
  
"Malfunction? This doesn't sound like a malfunction." The alarm started beeping at a rapid pace. It was a sign that the object was getting closer.  
  
"Sonar is picking up a large object approaching from the starboard side. It's too big to be a whale."  
  
"Submarine perhaps?" The captain grabbed his binoculars and went to the starboard side window. The ocean was calm and the morning sun lit everything clearly. The morning fog had already lifted so the view was clear to the horizon. "I don't see anything. What's the range?"  
  
"Two hundred meters and closing."  
  
"What?" The captain looked again. He saw nothing but clear seas for kilometers. "Give me the direction."  
  
"It's directly starboard. It should be right outside the window. One hundred fifty meters and closing."  
  
The captain turned his attention to the water itself. He was convinced it was a submarine. He saw a dark splotch in the water and it was moving closer. "Damn! Sound the alert!"  
  
The first officer jumped from his game and pulled the alarm. He got on the P.A. system. "All hands, general alert! All hands, general alert!"  
  
All around the ship, alarms went off and the crew was more startled by the sound than anything else. Most of the crew thought it was a drill.  
  
"Sir, it's one hundred meters. It's diving."  
  
The captain shot a glare to the pilot. "Diving?" He ran to the radio. He adjusted the dial to contact their home base. "Nihon Oil. This is vessel fifteen."  
  
The radio replied, "This is Nihon Oil. We read you."  
  
The pilot was sweating. "Sir. Fifty meters."  
  
The captain was scared. "We have a contact. Range fifty meters and closing. It's possibly a submarine. Please be advised that we may need a crude oil spill team. What the hell?"  
  
The vessel started to sway and if something underneath was gently lifting it from the water. The motion was slight and smooth but the entire crew felt it.  
  
"It's directly underneath us sir!" The pilot never lifted his eyes from the sonar console. "It's passing us by."  
  
The first mate and the captain ran to the port side window. They saw a giant shadow pass underneath the ship and then shrink away. The shadow disappeared.  
  
"It's diving sir." He watched it on sonar for another minute. "It's gone."  
  
The captain was angry beyond words. "What submarine type was that? Whom did it belong to?"  
  
Andrew shook his head. "Sir that would have been the biggest submarine I've ever seen. Unless the Russians or the Americans have something top secret, it doesn't belong to them."  
  
"How about China?"  
  
"I've never heard of the Chinese having a sub like that."  
  
The captain turned to the first mate. "Enter the event into the ship's log. When we get into port, I'm going to have somebody's ass in my briefcase for this." He picked up the radio mike. "Nihon Oil, cancel the alert."  
  
The men stood in the bridge for the remainder of the journey. They didn't want let their guard down in case their visitor decided to return.  
  
  
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BEEP! Usagi's alarm clock went off. SLAM! Usagi hit the snooze button.  
  
Ten minutes later. BEEP! Usagi's alarm clock went off. SLAM! Usagi hit the snooze button.  
  
Ten minutes later. BEEP! Usagi's alarm clock went off. SLAM! Usagi hit the snooze button.  
  
Ten minutes later. BEEP! Usagi's alarm clock went off. WHACK! Usagi was pulled out of her bed by her leg. THUD! Usagi was on the floor. "Hey! Can't I get any sleep?"  
  
Usa stood over her mother. She was already dressed for High School. "Get up. It's time to go to school." She turned on her heels. "Catch you later! I've got to enroll."  
  
Usagi sat up. "Did I dream that?" She looked around the room. Everything seemed to be normal and the pink haired vision was gone from her view. Usagi got up and took a look at the clock. It was 7:45 in the morning. She had fifteen minutes to get ready for school. "Yikes!" She ran, got ready and flew down to the kitchen to grab breakfast.  
  
Shingo was there eating cereal. "Hey there sleepy head. Our cousin left without you."  
  
Usagi held the box of cereal above her bowl. She was pouring the frosted flakes when she became a statue. "C-C-cousin?" Usagi wanted to curl up and die. It appeared that Usa had already had gotten to her family and brainwashed them again to believe that Usagi had a cousin that lived with them. Usagi shot a glance to the umbrella stand for the hypnotic parasol that Usa used in the past to hypnotize her family. She didn't see it. Usa had hidden it or used something else to create her excuse for being allowed to live her.  
  
Shingo filled in his older sister on the fake history that Shingo believed was the truth. "You know, Usa, She's here for the rest of the school year."  
  
"Rest of the s-s-school y-y-year?" Her bowl was overflowing with frosted flakes of corn and she kept pouring it from the box.  
  
Ikuko Tsukino patted Usagi on the shoulder. "Isn't that enough cereal dear?"  
  
Usagi flashed back to the real world and moved upright the now empty cereal box. "Sorry!" She lifted the overflowing bowl and dumped the cereal back in the box. "Mom? When did our 'cousin' get here?"  
  
"Huh? She's been here for two months. Don't you remember?" Usagi's mom started to clean up the excess cereal Usagi had spilled.  
  
Usagi wanted to find the little pink haired spawn and throttle her. "Yeah... I just am still a little sleepy I guess. Heh heh."  
  
Shingo made a funny face at Usagi. "A little sleepy? Sleep is your only state of mind."  
  
"At least I have a mind! Unlike some people in this family."  
  
Shingo gave Usagi the raspberry. Usagi returned the favor.   
  
Usagi saw the time. "MOM! Why didn't you tell me I was late?" She ran upstairs to her room to grab her schoolbooks. She ran back down, grabbed her lunch from her mother's hand and ran out the door to school.  
  
Usagi ran at top speed to school. She nearly tripped and fell several times but luck was with her this day. She didn't fall.  
  
She ran into her classroom where a detention slip awaited her on the desk. The teacher addressed Usagi. "Miss Tsukino, please be punctual again. You were doing so well until recently."  
  
Usagi sank at her desk. "I know." She looked up front of the class and sank some more at the sight before her.  
  
"Now class, we have a new student at Juuban High School. Her name is Usa Tsukino and I'd like to have you give her a big welcome."  
  
Usa stood in front of the white board and took a bow.  
  
"HELLO!" Came from the class. Usagi wanted to put a bucket over her head and pretend that this was not real. Ranko and Akane saw Usagi's odd behavior and took a good look at the new student. Akane whispered, "You know her?"  
  
Usagi nodded. She buried her head on her desk. Usa sat near the back of the class and shot a glance at Ranko. Ranko studied the girl and couldn't figure out who she was. Ranko felt like she knew her for some reason.  
  
The teacher took roll. He checked the boxes marked Ranko and Ranma Saotome as always. He never knew what to expect from that student.  
  
  
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"She's CHIBI USA!" Came the shout from the Inner Senshi at lunchtime.  
  
Usagi had a look of doom. Chibi Usa's arrival usually meant that some new twisted adventure was coming. Usagi didn't want to know nor participate in the fun that was sure to be awaiting her. "She arrived last night."  
  
Ami put down her textbook. "Did she say why she's here?"  
  
"Oh yeah." Usagi felt gloom.  
  
Makoto leaned over and nudged Usagi. "Well? Why is she here?"  
  
Usagi glanced at Ranko. Ranko was arriving after threatening a boy for asking her measurements. Ranko sat down. "You'd think they'd stop asking after I tell them that I'm really a guy."  
  
Minako giggled, "But you are such a cute guy." She edged over to Ranko.   
  
Ranko grabbed her pigtail and pulled it away from Minako. "Stay away from my hair! I like it the way it is."  
  
"C'mon Ranko! A ponytail is so much better." Minako produced a comb and a green bow.  
  
Makoto raised her voice, "Usagi has something to say." She lowered her voice to normal. "Why is Chibi Usa here?"  
  
Usagi cracked a tiny smile and quickly dropped it. She took a deep breath. "She's here to study martial arts."  
  
Makoto and Ranko blinked for different reasons. Makoto looked at Ranko, "What kind of martial arts?"  
  
Usagi pointed at Ranko. "Her kind."  
  
"My kind? Who wants to study martial arts?" Ranko got excited that they were talking about her favorite subject. She wanted to meet this girl.  
  
Usa jumped in the center of the girls in a neutral stance. "I'm a student of Anything Goes Martial Arts!"  
  
Ranko recognized the style of leap as from her school. She stood up to size up the newcomer. "Don't I know you?"  
  
"You used to call me Chibi Usa."  
  
Ranko remembered meeting her in something that felt like a dream. "You were shorter weren't you? How did you learn Anything Goes? Only the Tendos and Saotomes study that art."  
  
"I've been studying for over two years." Usa threw a few punches in the air. Ranko saw she was holding back her skills.  
  
"Two years eh? Ok, show me your stuff." Ranko took a defensive stance away from the girls.  
  
"Here I come!" Usa leapt toward Ranko and did a forward flip over her. Ranko ducked down and rolled out of range. She wanted to avoid contact and simply judge Usa's skill level. Usa landed and did a spin kick at Ranko's heel. Ranko easily hopped over the kick and had to quickly dodge a sudden overhead strike that Usa managed to throw in.  
  
Ranko nodded in approval. "Pretty good." She gave ground as Usa began a combination of punches and kicks that left no opening for a counter attack. Ranko deflected two blows and dodged the rest. Akane saw that Ranko was holding her own but had to exert some effort to avoid impacts.  
  
A teacher approached the sparring match. "Stop fighting!"  
  
Ranko gave a time out signal to Usa. She immediately dropped her stance and made a bow. Ranko bowed back. Ranko faced the teacher. "We're just sparring."  
  
The teacher looked at the two with suspicion. "Uh... Don't spar anymore. Spar at home." She noticed that neither girl was injured nor they looked like they were angry in any way. The teacher looked again at both girls and left.  
  
Usa couldn't hold her glee. She grabbed Ranko around the waist, "It's so nice to see you!"  
  
"Uh. I guess. Still, how did you learn Anything Goes?" Ranko gently pried Usa off of her.  
  
"From you silly!" Usa was breathing a little hard but that was to be expected from a light workout.  
  
"From me? I never taught you." Ranko was worrying and for good reason, Akane was reaching into mallet space for a suitable weapon.  
  
Usa patted her forehead. "I forgot." She leaned over to Ranko's ear and whispered, "I'm from the future. You taught me in the 30th century."  
  
Ranko's eyes glazed over. "Uh..."  
  
Akane stood up. "What did she say?"  
  
Ranko's knees went weak and she sat Indian style on the grass. Usa went over to Akane and glomped her. "Oh It's so nice to see you too Io."  
  
Akane's eyes glazed over. How did she know her alter ego? "Uh... Who's Io?"  
  
Usagi sat close to the two nearly comatose girls. "Sailor Sun, Sailor Io, meet Neo-Sailor Moon."  
  
Ranko and Akane fell over.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents from bombing Pearl Harbor.  
  
Bill Heineman  
December 31, 2002  
========================================  
burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
======================================== 


	3. Looking at the future

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 3 Looking at the future  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me work for a living.  
  
  
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Makoto examined the unconscious bodies of Ranko and Akane. "They'll survive."  
  
Minako wasted no time. She scurried over to Ranko and undid her pigtail and combed her hair. Minako tied a nice green bow at the end of Ranko's new ponytail. "There! Perfect!"  
  
Makoto was greatly amused. "You know that she's going to be mad that you did that."  
  
Minako admired Ranko's new look. "But it's so much better than that pig tail she always wears."  
  
Ranko's eyes fluttered open. She sat up and immediately felt the back of her head and found the bow. "MINAKO!" Ranko was not happy about her sudden change in hairstyle.  
  
Akane woke up and saw Ranko's new hairdo. Akane laughed. Minako held up her compact mirror in front of Ranko's face. "You can't say it doesn't look good on you."  
  
Ranko pulled the end of her hair over her shoulder to examine the new addition at the end. She saw the cute green bow. She gently tossed the end of her hair over her shoulder and sighed. "Ok. It looks good alright. AS A GIRL!" She angrily added.  
  
Minako put away her comb in her purse. "Well, what are you worried about?"  
  
"Hot water Minako, hot water." Ranko sighed again.   
  
Usa was puzzled. "Why are you worried about hot water?"  
  
Ranko turned to Usa. A tinge of panic went through her body. "You don't know?"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
Ranko sat up and looked Usa in the eye. "You say you're from the future right?"  
  
"Yes I am. It's a really nice place." Usa gleamed.  
  
Ranko was very suspicious. "You said I taught you martial arts. You should know why I have a problem with hot and cold water."  
  
Usa gave a look of confusion. "Uh... You're sensitive to it?"  
  
"So you don't know about my curse?" Ranko was starting to get really worried. Akane looked at Ranko with a touch of fear in her eyes.  
  
Usa gave a look of understanding. She nodded, "Oh that! Yeah. Everyone knows how obnoxious you are."  
  
Ranko was bordering on a full scale panic attack. "I'm not talking about that! What about my curse?"  
  
"That's not your curse? Pluto always said your personality was a curse."  
  
"Don't tell me that I'm locked as a girl in the future!"  
  
Usa was enjoying this. She always had wanted to torture Sailor Sun for all the hard training she had been put through. Sun was a very strict teacher in the art. "Ok, I won't tell you."  
  
Ranko was panicking. She enjoyed her male side a bit more than her female side. She had a gut feeling that fate was going to smash her into the ground by locking her into male or female form forever. "Just tell me when it happened."  
  
Usa decided it was time to let her off the hook. "When what happened? You change to a guy when you feel like it. You always have a hydro replicator in your subspace pocket that can make hot or cold water at any time."  
  
Ranko changed into the mood that most people went into after spending some time with Usa. She reached over to Usa to strangle her. "Why you!"  
  
Usa jumped over Ranko as she leapt forward and missed her throat and landed on her stomach. Usa gracefully appeared behind Ranko and she lightly tapped her back. "Got you! Besides, I can't tell you anything about the future."  
  
Ranko looked at Usagi from her embarrassing position on the grass. "I'm glad I don't have to live with her."  
  
Usagi wanted to cry. "But I do."  
  
Usa went over to her future mother. "C'mon mom."  
  
Akane felt happy. She wanted to be a mom someday. She saw how Usa looked a lot like her mother. She had the same eyes and heart shaped face. The only thing odd was her pink hair. She glanced over to Ranko and saw how similar her red hair was to Usa's. She turned to Usagi and studied the blonde hair. She turned back to Ranko and studied the red hair. Blonde, Red, Blonde, Red and Blonde combined into PINK!  
  
Akane flared her battle aura. "Ranma!"  
  
Ranko turned to Akane. "What?"  
  
"How DARE you seduce Usagi!" She pulled out the largest mallet in her arsenal.  
  
"Say what?" Ranko took a few steps back to stay out of mallet range.  
  
Usa turned to Usagi. "I heard she was really violent in the past but I didn't know it was this bad."  
  
Akane held back her anger for just a moment. "Usa, who's your dad?"  
  
Usa knew the answer that would be the most fun. "Ranma!"  
  
"THAT DOES IT!" Akane jumped and chased a frantic Ranko down the hall. Ranko ran to the building and jumped onto the roof. Akane jumped after her with her mallet over her head. "Come back here you two timing pervert!"  
  
Ranko screamed as she ran for dear life. "I didn't do anything! I'm innocent! Why can't I get a break?" Her screams faded away as they disappeared over the school building.  
  
Usagi's lips shuddered. "R-R-Ranma? I married Ranma?" She had horrible thoughts of Mamoru not being in her life flash before her eyes.  
  
Usa fell to the ground laughing. Makoto was pissed. She stood up and went over to Usa and raised her hand to slap her. She brought it down and Usa instinctively deflected the blow. Usa took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Mamoru is my father. I'm just kidding."  
  
Makoto stared down at Usa rolling on the ground. "That's not funny in the least. Look at what you did to Usagi!" Ranko came around the building and jumped into the tree branches about the girls trying to hide from Akane.  
  
Makoto and Usa turned to Usagi who was weeping. Usagi bawled, "Mamo-chan! I'm so sorry!" Akane came around the building and ran by the tree. She was glowing a bright blue and she stopped at the center of the courtyard looking for her target.  
  
Usa saw her joke went too far. "Mom! I was only kidding. Mamoru is my dad."  
  
Usagi turned to look at Usa. "Really? You're not lying?"  
  
Usa knelt next to her future mother. "You've already been to the future. You know Mamoru is your husband, the king and my father."  
  
Usagi was relieved. Usa lost all consciousness as she was reduced into a wafer thin pancake by Akane's giant mallet. "THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR LYING!"  
  
Ranko from up in the tree called out, "See! It wasn't my fault!"  
  
Usa's lay twitching under the mallet that rested on top of her. Akane let go of the handle and brushed her hands together. She took a good look at the pink hair sprawled all over the grass. "Usagi, why does she have pink hair? Mamoru's hair is black and yours is blonde."  
  
Usagi shrugged. "I dunno." She looked at her future daughter's body in shock. "Usa, are you all right?"  
  
Usa popped up from the ground. "Yeah, I'll recover. My Bakusai Tenketsu training really toughened me up." The other girls were amazed at how Usa re-inflated after a blow that would have killed most humans.  
  
Akane stared at Ranko. Ranko shook her head side to side violently. "Don't look at me! Don't you dare look at me!" She decided that staying in the tree was a safe proposition for the time being.  
  
Akane growled. She watched her husband with suspicion, Akane wasn't sure to pummel her just to be on the safe side since she was going to be guilty of something soon anyways.  
  
  
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Nabiki was reading the financial section of the newspaper during her lunch break. She smiled that her hunches were on the money. She saw the trend in the seafood industry and invested in American seafood companies that had caught their fish in the Atlantic Ocean instead of Asian waters. The last few months had declining harvests from the South Pacific and there was a U.N. meeting coming up to discuss the over fishing problem.  
  
Seafood prices in Japan were steadily climbing and such staples as dried fish and octopus puffs were getting to be almost triple in price. Nabiki wondered if someone was polluting the ocean or if this was a harbinger of something more serious.  
  
A shadow was cast over Nabiki's newspaper. She took a sip of her tea and turned her eyes upwards. She purred in a feline voice. "Hello Kuno baby."  
  
Tatewaki Kuno gave a gentle bow in return. He had business to discuss with the honorable Nabiki Tendo. "I wish to know if you have found the location of Sailor Sun or Sailor Io."  
  
Nabiki put her paper down and went into her sultry persona. "Oh Kuno baby, you know that the identities of the Sailor Senshi are a closely guarded secret. It's like asking the identity of Sailor Moon. No one knows who she is."  
  
"Well, I know that if anyone can find out, that it would be you." Kuno looked into the air and gazed at the clouds. His mind was among those same fluffy white objects. "I've had a recent discussion with your sister and the pig tailed one. I must first find and deal with that dread Saotome before they can be freed from his clutches."  
  
"So you want to two time the Senshi as well as my sister. Oh that is so low." Nabiki wanted to slap Kuno for his obsession with her sister.  
  
Kuno didn't see it that way. "As you so eloquently put it. I am not two timing Akane Tendo and the pig tailed one. I am allowing them the honor of my love for them. I have enough for both of them."  
  
Nabiki wanted to throw her tea at him. She wouldn't since he was a serious source of income for her. "That's the definition of two timing my friend. You really need to just pick one."  
  
"I cannot. I love them both!" Kuno unfolded a fan that read 'Kuno'. "I offer them a place in the house of Kuno. That is an honor without equal."  
  
"You are such a hopeless romantic. I assume your love is enough for two more girls in your life?" Nabiki slipped her sunglasses on. "I'm on the case for the identities of the Sailors Sun and Io." She paused. She wasn't leaving empty handed. "I will need my retainer."  
  
"A retainer? You've always provided me information without one before."  
  
"You've never asked me to expose a super hero before." Nabiki quipped. "One hundred thousand yen would be a good start."  
  
Kuno produced a quantity of bills. "See that it is done. I want to speak with them." He turned and left.  
  
Nabiki leafed through the money. There was over five hundred thousand yen in her hands. Kuno had really gone off the deep end. This could be the most profitable month Nabiki had ever had. She hoped that Kuno would finally get over his obsession with her sister and her brother-in-law's female side. Photos and information on the Senshi commanded a much higher price and an obsession with Sailor Senshi would cement a very lucrative enterprise for Nabiki industries. Nabiki gave herself a tiny smile. Yes, this was going to be very lucrative indeed.  
  
  
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Usagi left detention feeling sorry for herself. She trudged out of the classroom and out the front gates of school. All of her friends were either at Rei's shrine with Ami for study buddies or were at the arcade with Minako playing the latest Sailor V game.  
  
Usagi wanted to know what had happened to her daughter. She had grown so much since the last time she saw her. Usagi leaned against the front gate of the school. She couldn't help but feel proud that she was going to be a queen someday and be married to her true love. It was a weird feeling knowing that it was her destiny to be the centerpiece of a fairy tale. She knew what the future was going to be like. She turned her head and saw her future looking back at her.  
  
"Hi mom!" Usa held out her hand. "Let's go home."  
  
Usagi took her daughter's hand. "Please call me Usagi. You'll freak out everyone if you keep calling me that." Usagi glanced around. "I don't want people to think I'm an unwed mother."  
  
Usa walked with Usagi holding hands. She stared at her mothers face. "Yeah Mom. Uh... Usagi. It's just that now you really look like what you'll be in the future."  
  
Usagi took a good look at her future daughter. She had her dad's walk and was taller than Usagi but not as tall as her father. Usa's hair was still in the bunny style hairdo but long ponytails just like Usagi and combed in a mature style befitting someone who was a young adult. Usa had an air of discipline and maturity that was absent from the last time they were together. Usagi glomped Usa. "How you've grown."  
  
Usa glomped her mother back. "Psst, they're going to freak out."  
  
Usagi relaxed her grip. "I guess so. It's just not many people get to meet their daughters when they are the same age as they are."  
  
Usa whispered in her mother's ear. "Tell you a secret."  
  
Usagi loved secrets. She loved to tell them to all her friends. "What?"  
  
"I'm only sixteen. I told them I was seventeen to get in your class."  
  
Usagi still couldn't believe the closeness in age. "How did you pass the entrance test?"  
  
Usa scoffed. "It was easy. Heck, I could pass the college entrance exam with my eyes closed."  
  
Usagi gasped. This was not the runt she knew a few months ago. "What?"  
  
"M... Usagi, schools are a lot better in the 30th century. I completed my thesis on warp drive last month. I was supposed to start my temporal physics class next week."  
  
Usagi had a look of non-comprehension. "Things really have changed haven't they?"  
  
Usa waved her hand in front of Usagi's eyes. "Hello? Anyone there?" Usa started walking gently pulling her mother along. "I'm from over nine hundred years in the future. Things change."  
  
Usagi studied her feet as she walked. "How have they changed?"  
  
"Well, I can't go into any specifics. I can say that nine hundred years of history will transpire before I'll be born." She stopped. She turned to face her mother. "I studied that history and that's what I'm majoring in. I'm so proud that you're my mother, 'The invincible Sailor Moon!' The things you've already done and the things you will do are legend in my time."  
  
Usagi glowed. "Really?"  
  
"The things you and the other scouts have done to protect our world go beyond what could even be described in the history books. Why just what Sailor G... Uh... Sailor Saturn did with Pharaoh 90 was a great sacrifice."  
  
Usagi caught the slip. "You were going to talk about a different Sailor Scout?"  
  
"No, I was talking about Sailor Saturn. Sorry for the confusion." Usa went stone faced.  
  
"Usa, how many scouts are in the 30th century?"  
  
"I can't answer that. You know better than to ask for specifics about the future."  
  
Usagi nodded. "I understand. Oh I do have a question I think you can answer."  
  
"Ask."  
  
"What do you transform to now? Are you still Sailor Chibi Moon?"  
  
Usa laughed. "I haven't heard anyone call me Chibi anything for over a year." She looked around and pulled Usagi into an alley. She sensed that no one was around and touched her familiar looking broach on her high school uniform. "Moon Cosmic Power Make Up!" Usa spun around and came down wearing the exact same uniform as classic Sailor Moon complete with blue mini-skirt and red bows.  
  
Usagi covered her mouth in shock. She held her own broach and issued her old transformation phrase. "Moon Cosmic Power Make Up!" She also transformed and both girls were wearing the exact same costume. "I thought that there could be only one Senshi per planet."  
  
Neo Sailor Moon looked at her own garb and at Sailor Moon's clothes. Neo Sailor Moon offered an explanation. "Well in my time, you became Queen Serenity full time. You can only transform to Eternal Sailor Moon if the need arises. I took the official role of Sailor Moon on my fifteenth birthday." She glowed at the thought. "It was the best birthday present you gave to me." She held her broach and gently shined it with her gloved fingers.  
  
Sailor Moon shrugged. "Well now I know what to get you for your fifteenth birthday." Both girls laughed and reverted back to their normal guise. They started to walk home.  
  
Usagi had an idea. "Usa."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Since you are really smart."  
  
Usa knew where this was going. "Uh huh."  
  
"Can you... Uh... Do my homework for me?"  
  
Usa knew her mother all too well. "If you can beat me in an arm wrestling contest!"  
  
Usagi was beaten. "Rats!"  
  
  
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"GENMA!" Nodoka reached onto her back and pulled out her cloth wrapped katana.  
  
Genma ran to the koi pond and jumped in. He pulled out a sign, "No one but us pandas here."  
  
Nodoka was very angry with her husband. He and Soun were gone until the mid-afternoon and smelled of cheap sake and alcohol. They were suffering from severe hangovers. Nodoka had to call Genma's job at the factory and tell them he was sick. The factory supervisor wanted a doctor's excuse since Genma had already taken two other sick days in the last four weeks. Nodoka wanted to know where her husband was during those two days.  
  
"Where were you Monday of last week? Your boss said you didn't go in." Nodoka held the cloth wrapped katana in a manner that meant she was in the mood of serving a panda burger.  
  
The panda held up a sign, "I was at work."  
  
"That's not what your boss said." The cloth covering the katana slid down exposing the handle.  
  
Soun stepped in between the Panda and the soon to be Panda slayer. "He was with me. We were hired to find a thief for the Nerima city council."  
  
Nodoka faced Soun with angry eyes. "Did you get paid for this?"  
  
Soun innocently looked to the sky. The panda pulled up another sign. "We got an all you can eat buffet and fifty kilos of bamboo shoots."  
  
Mrs. Saotome gritted her teeth. "But no money for the family?"  
  
The panda flipped his sign over. "Think of the money we saved in food!"  
  
Nodoka slammed her foot down. "Saved? Only for you two, what about the rest of us!" She shouted at Soun, "You should be ashamed of yourself. If it wasn't for Nabiki, I wouldn't want to even think of how this family would fare."  
  
She turned and went back into the house. She didn't want to get so upset that she would actually have to use her sword.  
  
Once Nodoka was out of earshot, Soun spoke to his furry friend, "Up for a game of Shogi?"  
  
The panda got out of the pond. His sign read, "Thought you'd never ask."  
  
Nodoka went upstairs into her bedroom. She gently shut the door and knelt on the sleeping mat on the floor. She started to cry. She had felt so trapped and wanted to escape from her pitiful existence.  
  
There was a gentle knock on the door. Nodoka forced herself to stop crying and stood up. "Come in."  
  
Kasumi opened the door. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "Do you want to talk?" Kasumi smiled.  
  
Nodoka let out a single laugh. "Oh Kasumi, you know exactly how to cheer me up."  
  
The eldest Tendo daughter held out her hand. "How about we go on a trip, shall we?"   
  
Nodoka had an idea where Kasumi was going to take her. She needed to get out for a while. "Ok. Let's go."  
  
  
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Ranko was in her kimono waiting on customers at her waitress job near Tokyo Bay. "Would you like to try our North Atlantic Salmon sushi?"  
  
Ranko went to the sushi chef at the bar and handed him the sushi order card. She then went to the kitchen to order the teriyaki beef and vegetable tempura. She bumped into her fellow waitress Mariko. Mariko was a petite Japanese lady just out of high school. She was a no nonsense girl and was cute as a button. Mariko was upset. "All my best tipping customers aren't coming anymore."  
  
Ranko nodded. "Mine too. If we keep raising prices like this, no one will be able to afford to eat here."  
  
Mariko put some drinks on her tray. "We at least the mixed drinks are still selling well. Maybe if they get drunk, they won't care about the prices."  
  
Ranko held her friend's shoulder, "Try pushing the other sushi like the Salmon. Salmon hadn't gone up and same goes for the Atlantic Tuna."  
  
"You know that Mr. Miyagi only eats locally caught sushi. He thinks that it could only be fresh if it came from local waters."  
  
Ranko remember that Miyagi almost always left a 50% tip. He was a big spender. He had been coming in only once a week now since the last major price increase. Ranko lifted her tray onto her shoulder, "We do what we can." She went back to work. She hoped against all hope that somewhere in Juuban a job for a skilled martial artist opened up that didn't pay poverty wages. Ranko so badly wanted to make a living at what she had spent a decade training for instead of serving food in a sushi bar.  
  
  
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Akane was studying her English homework. "It's official. This language was not meant for human beings. Why does the word 'beauty' have the letter A in it?"  
  
There was a knock at the door. Akane sensed two people in the hall. She called out in a cheerful voice, "Coming!" She went to the sink and filled a bucket of water. She was going to punish Tatewaki and Sasuke for intruding on her space again.  
  
She carried the bucket in one hand and opened the door. She stopped herself from slamming the water all over her eldest sister.   
  
Kasumi was surprised. "Oh my! Is this how you greet your guests?"  
  
Akane quickly put the bucket behind her back. "Sorry, I just thought you were someone else."  
  
Nodoka saw that it was cold water. "I don't think my son appreciates becoming a girl in that manner."  
  
Akane realized what it looked like. "No! No, it was for another idiot."  
  
Nodoka raised her eyebrow. "Another idiot? Are you referring to my son as an idiot?"  
  
Akane raised her head to the ceiling, sighed and then turned downward. She trudged into the apartment and dumped the water in the sink. Nodoka and Kasumi sat down on the couch. Akane sat next to Kasumi, "So what brings you here?"  
  
Nodoka exchanged glances with Kasumi. Nodoka gulped. "Well, as you know, the Saotome home is no more."  
  
Akane twitched at that memory. Ranma was given a gift from Nodoka for Akane and it was mistaken for an engagement ring. Shampoo, Ukyou and Kodachi chased Ranma all over town trying to claim the prize and had a full-scale war at Nodoka's house. They leveled the place in the conflict. "Yes, I remember that. I'm so sorry that it happened."  
  
"I want to propose something. I'm thinking of selling the land and getting an apartment."  
  
Akane was happy and perplexed at the same time. "An apartment? I'm certain you'll get a great deal of money. Your property is in a very good neighborhood in Nerima."  
  
Nodoka didn't know how to ask. She tried the direct approach. "I would like for you and Ranma to live with me."  
  
Akane got wide eyed. "Uh... I'm honored Mrs. Saotome, but we have to live in Juuban. I think you can understand why. Oh... What about your husband?" Akane didn't really want to live with Genma. Ranma wouldn't be thrilled either, especially with the double life that they were living.  
  
Nodoka said matter of factly, "What about him? I've lived without him for ten years. I can do it again. Besides, he's happy living with Soun."  
  
Akane looked at the clock. Ranma should be arriving in a few minutes. "Excuse me for a moment." Akane locked the front door and checked the drapes to see if they were sealed shut. She sat back down.  
  
Kasumi asked, "Are you expecting one of Ranma's friends to stop by?"  
  
"No. You'll see in a little while." She gave her attention to Nodoka. "I think that Ranma would be overjoyed if you somehow were to live with us."  
  
Nodoka relaxed in her couch. Those words made her year. "Where is Ranma?"  
  
"He, I mean she is at work right now."  
  
Nodoka was curious. "She?"  
  
"She works as a waitress at a sushi bar. She makes good money in tips." Akane crossed her arms and went cold. "A lot better than me. Grr..."  
  
"Well you know how she wants to excel in everything."  
  
Akane fumed. "She's had lot's of practice bumming extra food and free stuff when she's a girl. She just bats her eyes and she doubles her tips." Akane got up and grabbed the blankets that were stored under the living room table. She laid them out on the floor and threw a few pillows around. "Just to let you know, Sailor Sun will be here any minute now."  
  
Kasumi couldn't help but wonder what Akane was doing. "Why are you putting blankets on the floor?"  
  
Akane sat down. "It's nighttime."  
  
"Does this have to do with Sailor Sun's teleportation?"  
  
"Yep. She falls asleep if she teleports at night."  
  
Kasumi was curious. "What's it like to teleport?"  
  
Akane pondered the question. "It's hard to describe. You feel like the world stretches in every direction and you're surrounded by colors. Then it's suddenly over."   
  
A flash appeared over the blankets and Sailor Sun stood for a second. "Oh, hi mom." She fell over fast asleep on the soft pile at her feet.  
  
Akane gave a look of encouragement. "She's getting better. Usually, she falls asleep immediately. She doesn't often say anything after a night teleport."  
  
Kasumi got up and moved her hand through the air that Sun beamed into. "Amazing!"  
  
Akane tapped Sun's back with the tip of her foot. "Wake up sleepy head. We've got company."  
  
Sun slowly turned over and sat up. She yawned and licked her lips. "Hi Kasumi! Hi mom!"  
  
Kasumi knelt by Sun and pulled at her red mini-skirt. "Where did you get that outfit?"  
  
Sun looked down at her skirt. "I dunno. Fuku's 'r' us? It just appears when I transform." She changed back to Ranko in a kimono. "Is this better?"  
  
Nodoka smiled. Her daughter looked beautiful. "I was discussing with Akane about the idea that we get an apartment together."  
  
Ranko's heart sank. "I wouldn't mind you mom. But I can't let dad ever find out about this." She produced her henshin stick to make a point.  
  
"So we are agreement that if it's just I that shares a dwelling with you two, that you don't object?"  
  
Ranko looked at her wife and back to her mother. "Well, we have to stay in Juuban and I can't have dad around." She turned to Kasumi. "I hate to say it Kasumi, but Nabiki isn't welcome either."  
  
Akane cast daggers with her eyes. "RANMA!"  
  
"Akane, if she ever got proof about us she'd sell it to Kuno or Ripley's Believe it or Not or who knows what else." Ranko got depressed. Deep down inside she had some respect for Nabiki's business skills but she had zero respect for the way Nabiki had used her for money.  
  
Kasumi stood up and helped Ranko up off of the floor. Kasumi agreed. "I know Nabiki means well. But I'm afraid that Ranma is right. We can't ever tell her about you or Ranma being Sailor Senshi. I just don't know if she'll keep it a secret."  
  
Akane sighed. "I wish Nabiki was more trustworthy. I hate keeping this a secret from her."  
  
Ranko shook her head. "I think too many people already know."  
  
Nodoka looked at Kasumi and back to Ranko. "Are there others besides us who know?"  
  
Ranko thought about it. "Ukyou and Konatsu know about us."  
  
Akane thought about Ryoga. His memory was erased when a timeline was undone so he didn't count anymore. "I think that's it."  
  
Nodoka nodded. "So I take it that Shampoo and Kodachi don't know."  
  
Ranko shivered at the sound of Shampoo's name. "We can never tell Shampoo. If Cologne ever found out, she'll drug me and cart me off to China in a block of ice to join that tribe of hers. Cologne would love to have an Amazon Senshi protecting her village."  
  
Akane laughed, "You left out the part about marrying Shampoo."  
  
"Let's not go there again. Anyways mom, it's late and I need to get some sleep. Do you need a ride home?"  
  
Nodoka removed her wrapped katana and placed it beside the couch. "If you don't mind. I'd like to spend the night here. It's a long train ride home and at this hour the trains only come every hour."  
  
Kasumi had an idea. "I do need to go home. Father and Nabiki would be expecting breakfast. Could you please teleport me? I'd like to see how that works." She was excited.  
  
Ranko produced her henshin stick. "On two conditions, one you wake me up after we get there so I can get back home and two, I'll probably be landing in the koi pond so don't get mad at me if we get wet."  
  
Kasumi had the glee of a kid in a candy store. "Agreed!"  
  
"Here we go again. Sun Star Power! Make Up!" Ranko transformed again into Sailor Sun. "I can never get used to that. It's neat though."  
  
Kasumi got a very good look at the transformation sequence. "Did you know you're naked for a second?"  
  
"Yes. That's why we hide before we do it. Ready to teleport?"  
  
"What do I do?"  
  
Sailor Sun stood next to Kasumi. "Just hang on." Kasumi held her arms around the shorter girl and got a firm grip around her shoulders. Sun concentrated her teleportation magic on the backyard of the Tendo dojo, picked a location that no one was watching and called out, "Sun Beam Transport!"  
  
Kasumi was overwhelmed at the sights and sounds of teleportation. The room stretched and everything merged into a blur of light and color. She lost all feeling in her body and she was transformed into a beam of light and suddenly she was standing behind the dojo supporting Sailor Sun's sleeping body.  
  
Kasumi felt woozy and wanted to pass out as well. She propped herself against the back wall. They were in the narrow corridor between the dojo and the wall surrounding the property. There was no one nearby. She gently patted Sun's cheeks. "Wake up Ran... Sailor Sun."  
  
Sun muttered. "Ah re hum."  
  
"Yes we are home. You can teleport back now."  
  
"Uh huh." Sun shook her head to force herself to a conscious state. She saw her apartment in her mind and flashed out.  
  
Kasumi brushed her dress, fluffed her hair and walked back to the house. Soun and Genma came around the corner. Soun looked around, "Kasumi? What happened? We saw a flash."  
  
"I don't know father. I just got home." Kasumi smiled and went into the house.  
  
Soun and Genma shrugged and went back to their game. Soun looked at the board. "I don't remember you having that many pieces Saotome."  
  
Genma made a move. "I win!"  
  
Soun was wondering if his friend had somehow made the light show to distract him so he could cheat.  
  
  
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Kasumi went to her bedroom. She sat on her bed and got ready for sleep. She loved to teleport. She wanted to do it again sometime. Her bedroom door opened and Nabiki entered and shut the door behind her. "Well sis, where have you been?"  
  
"I was out with Mrs. Saotome."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"She's staying with Ranma and Akane tonight."  
  
Nabiki's 'Things don't add up' meter went to the highest value. "You came all the way from Juuban by yourself at this hour?"  
  
Kasumi fluffed her pillow. "I'm twenty years old Nabiki. I can take care of myself."  
  
Nabiki wanted answers. "What was that flash in the backyard?"  
  
"What flash?"  
  
"Don't play dumb. The whole backyard looked like you took a picture with a giant camera. What's going on?"  
  
"Nabiki, I just got back from Juuban and I'm very tired. Can was discuss this tomorrow?" Kasumi yawned. Teleportation was very fatiguing.  
  
Nabiki looked around the room and whispered, "Does Ranma know something about the Sailor Senshi?"  
  
Kasumi shivered. "Whatever do you mean?"  
  
Nabiki kept her voice to a whisper. "C'mon sis! The Senshi are somewhere in the Minato or Shinagawa areas of Tokyo. Juuban is right in the middle of that. The Senshi beat Happosai and Ranma was in the middle of that whole mess. You can't convince me that Ranma doesn't have some connection with the Senshi."  
  
Kasumi had to lie. She had to lie convincingly. She couldn't do it. "I need to get some sleep Nabiki." She slipped under her covers.  
  
Nabiki was angry. She was utterly convinced her sister knew something but she wasn't going to press the matter for now. "I'll talk with you tomorrow. Goodnight sis."  
  
  
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Sailor Sun beamed on top of the blankets again. She fell over and was out for the count. Nodoka and Akane picked up Sun and tossed her into bed. Akane touched Sun's jewel on her tiara and triggered her change into Ranko. Akane bid her mother in law goodnight and they all went to sleep.  
  
Nodoka slept a peaceful sleep. She for the first time in months was going to start spending a lot more time with her son. She slept with a smile on her face.  
  
  
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Hiro had a strange dream. He thought there was an earthquake last night. He got up from his simple cot in his fisherman's hut and saw that a few items were knocked over. He put on his coat and went outside to examine his hut for damage. The sun hadn't risen yet so the landscape was very dark. Only the moon provided light to see by. Hiro looked toward the village and saw that it was dark. There were no lights at all. He saw his house was intact and nothing was out of the ordinary. He went back inside. He flipped the light switch and no light came on.  
  
He cursed. There must have been a small quake and it knocked out the power on this section of Okinawa Island. He picked up the bottles and cans and put them back on the shelves. It was tedious work with the light being so scarce. He dressed for work on the fishing vessel and locked the door of his hut.  
  
He started down the road toward the docks. The area was unnaturally quiet. There were normally sounds of people at the docks preparing and launching vessels for the morning fishing expeditions. He saw the docks ahead just at the sun began to rise in the east. He tripped and fell into a hole in the ground.   
  
Hiro lifted himself off the dirt. He saw his coat was covered in mud from ground water that had filled in the bottom two centimeters of the pothole. He walked across the hole and climbed up the seventy centimeters to get out. The sun now illuminated the village and the sight was terrifying. The entire village was burned to the ground and no building was left standing. Hiro stood in horror at the destruction before him. He spun around to run home and he got an excellent view of the hole he crawled out of.  
  
It was a footprint.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me calling you during dinnertime with this amazing TV offer.  
  
Bill Heineman  
December 31, 2002  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	4. The French Connection

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 4 The French Connection  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me tell you my life story. It will bore you to death.  
  
  
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Philippe Roache loved his country. There was no doubt in his mind that France was the best place to live in the world. The sights, the sounds and aroma of a fresh croissant and French roast coffee in the morning were all reminders of what he fought to preserve.  
  
Mr. Roache was an agent for French Intelligence. He had a black mustache, a receding hairline and a permanent 5 o'clock shadow. He walked with an air of his military training and was a man that could give James Bond a run for his money. He had an intense loyalty to the country of his birth. He was the man they called when things went wrong.  
  
He was called into French Intelligence headquarters in Paris from his current field assignment. He knew this had to be bad news. He was on a deep undercover mission looking into weapons shipments around North Africa and was close to breaking the case. Pulling him out at this time risked the entire operation and months of work would be wasted.  
  
He was escorted to the main conference room and came face to face with the director and several top ranking officials. Philippe was seriously worried. The last time the director got personally involved led to an operation that almost cost the French Government dearly.  
  
Everyone sat down around the table. The director pointed to Jean Marc of special projects who presented the evidence. Jean Marc started his speech complete with images on a projection monitor. "Supplies of fish products in the South China Sea had been depleted in the past few months." He changed to an image of a sonar map. "We've had strange sonar contacts from our submarine detection buoys in the same area." He pointed to a spot on a map of the ocean. "Recently, we've gotten news of a recent report that a Japanese oil tanker spotted a large shadow in the water."  
  
Philippe sank in his chair. One of the babies had survived. "I take it we've confirmed that it is Godzilla?"  
  
Jean Marc pressed a button on his computer. A video clip was shown on the screen. It showed the aftermath of the destruction of a village in Okinawa. The camera panned to the distinctive footprint. It was smaller than the creature that attacked New York City but it still was massive. "This footage was taken yesterday."  
  
Philippe sat up and held his hands together on the table. "Well gentlemen, we have only two options available to us." He took a dramatic pause. "We kill it. Or someone else kills it."  
  
The director wanted to hear any options. "Do you have a plan?"  
  
Philippe was not a man who didn't have a plan. "I'll need a long range high speed boat, six of your top commandos with a full compliment of heavy munitions and..." Philippe didn't like the option. There was no other choice. "Three warheads from an M4A or M4B."  
  
The director stood up. He was shocked at the mere suggestion of deploying a nuclear device. "You can't be serious? Nuclear detonations were what created that damn thing in the first place."  
  
Philippe gave a small laugh. "The last creature was sixty five meters tall and took two American air strikes before it went down. It's not like this one is going to go back to the ocean if I said please."  
  
The director saw no other real option that could be explained away. They could say it was an accidental detonation. "What else do you need?"  
  
"The warheads need to be modified to become depth charges." Philippe fidgeted. "I'll also need Nick on this."  
  
The director was not happy. He didn't want anyone more involved. The risk to the French Government was already too great. "You're talking about Nick Tatopoulos aren't you? We can't involve him. He's an American."  
  
"Yes he's an American, but he knows the creature's life cycle. He was the only person who accurately predicted what the last creature was going to do. We need that knowledge if we even want to hope to succeed."  
  
The director turned to another gentleman at the table. "How soon can we get the boat and weapons?"  
  
Major Girard, the DGSE's chief armorer, pondered the question. He kept track of all the neat spy gadgets that the French possessed. "We have a boat in Vietnam that fits the bill. The warheads will take a few days. I can have some ten-kiloton devices pulled from the stockpile. We'll work around the clock to convert them to depth charges. We'll deliver them as soon as they are ready." He turned to Philippe. "What depth will you need to detonate at?"  
  
"Assume a maximum of one kilometer deep. I'll confer with Nick if we have other needs." Philippe got up. "I need all the information we have collected so far on CD. I can leave immediately."  
  
The director tilted his head toward Jean Marc. Jean pulled out a CD from his briefcase and tossed it to Philippe. The director smiled. "I knew I could count on you."  
  
"When I get back, I expect a long paid vacation in the French Alps." He put on his sunglasses and left to take a French Air Force jet to Okinawa. He had to get in contact with Nick and put him on a flight to Okinawa as well.  
  
  
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It was a fine morning at the Tendo residence. The birds were singing, the sky was clear and the outer wall was shattered. "Nihao!" Shampoo hopped off her bike and walked through the rubble to the back door of the house.  
  
Kasumi was cooking some eggs making an American style omelet with shrimp. "Hello Shampoo. It's been a while since you paid us a visit."  
  
Shampoo was about to smash a wall with her bonbori to enter the house. She stopped and slid open the back door instead. "Hello big sister Kasumi." She made a deep bow in respect of her sister-in-law. "Where is Ranma?"  
  
"Ranma doesn't live here anymore."  
  
"Shampoo know. Where Ranma live now?" Shampoo awaited an answer. She stood smiling with her purple hair reflecting the morning sun giving her a beautiful glow.  
  
"Shampoo, I don't know where they live exactly, somewhere in the Juuban area I think."  
  
"Kasumi bad liar. You know where Airen live." She gave a stern look at Kasumi and held out her bonbori. "Please tell Shampoo." Shampoo softened her stance and put her bonbori down. She had momentarily forgotten that Kasumi could not and would not fight her. Weapons were not needed in any way with the eldest Tendo sister.  
  
"I'll tell you." Both girls turned to Nabiki who was standing by the stairs. "For fifty thousand yen."  
  
"You tell me for free mercenary girl." Shampoo knew that Nabiki was a different matter, she responded to violent threats. Shampoo held out her bonbori preparing for a strike.   
  
Nabiki shrugged. She was immune to Shampoo's threats. "Then I guess you aren't going to find out."  
  
Shampoo was frustrated. She knew Nabiki would have to be beaten senseless before she talked and Ranma would be furious if she laid a finger on Akane's sisters. She turned to Kasumi and begged. "Please tell where Airen lives."  
  
Kasumi flipped her omelet over. "Shampoo, you are just going to grab Ranma again. He wants some privacy for a bit."  
  
"Shampoo follow Ranma to Juuban High School. Shampoo follow Ranma home. Ranma vanish. Ranma good at hiding." She was dejected. "Ranma make good Amazon husband." She focused her attention to Nabiki and spoke in terms the middle sister understood. "Twenty thousand yen."  
  
Nabiki smiled since Shampoo was listening to reason. "For you. Ok." Nabiki produced a piece of paper. Shampoo dropped her bonbori and clapped her hands with glee. "Oh thank you sister!"  
  
Kasumi jumped and snatched the paper from Nabiki's hands. She threw it on the stove and set the map on fire. "How DARE you Nabiki!"  
  
"AIYA!" Shampoo jumped over to Kasumi and moved her aside and turned off the stove. "No no no!" She blew on the paper to put out the fire. The paper disintegrated. She ignored Kasumi and ran back to Nabiki. "You have another yes?"  
  
Nabiki pulled out another one. "Of course."  
  
Shampoo grabbed it. She ran out of the house holding her prize up high. "Airen!"  
  
Nabiki yelled at Shampoo as she ran away. "I expect my money by tonight!"  
  
"I send Mousse!" She leapt on her bike and disappeared out of the hole in the back wall.  
  
Kasumi stood in the kitchen dumbfounded. "Why in the world did you do that for?"  
  
Nabiki produced her sunglasses and glanced at her sister before putting them on. "Simple big sis, if she left here without the address. She would stalk Ranma for the next few days until she tracked him down to his apartment. Akane and Ranma would be hounded for days or weeks until she finds them. Now they get to deal with the problem quickly and I get twenty thousand yen." Her logic was impeccable. "Both of us win. Now, do you want to call Akane or shall I? We need to tell her that Shampoo will be showing up."  
  
Nabiki's logic was impeccable. She would have made an excellent Vulcan. Kasumi sighed. "Nabiki, you scare me sometimes."  
  
Nabiki put on her sunglasses and smirked. "Gotta make a living. Anyways, I'll be late coming home tonight so I'll be missing dinner."  
  
Kasumi went back to cooking the omelet. She turned the stove back on. "Where are you going tonight?"  
  
The mercenary collected her school things and her bento. "I've got to go to Juuban."  
  
Kasumi froze. "Are you visiting Akane?"  
  
"No, I've got some people I need to talk to. Kuno wants to know about the Senshi."  
  
Kasumi turned off the stove and held her sisters shoulders. "Don't get involved with the Senshi!"  
  
Nabiki made a smug look and slung her book bag over her shoulder. She knew Kasumi had the information she desired. "Well then sis. Tell me what you know about Sailor Sun and Io."  
  
Kasumi shivered. Did Nabiki know?  
  
Nabiki saw Kasumi's face go flush. "You know don't you. Spill it."  
  
Kasumi released Nabiki. "N-N-No."  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"What's Ranma's involvement with the Senshi? Is he helping them?"  
  
Kasumi's mind spun. Nabiki didn't know but she was on the right track. "Nabiki, please drop this. I'm begging you. It's not worth it!"  
  
"What in the world is going on here? Oh no! You can't mean..." Nabiki dropped her book bag and put her hand on her face. "It can't be!"  
  
Kasumi wanted to weep. She wanted to figure out how to throw Nabiki off the scent. She couldn't allow Nabiki to figure out about whom Sailor Sun and Io really were.  
  
Nabiki started to giggle. She broke out into full-scale laughter. She bent over and was having difficulty breathing from her amusement. "Oh that's rich! Ok, which one is it?"  
  
Kasumi closed her eyes. She went rigid.  
  
Nabiki lifted her head from her bent over position to look at Kasumi. "Which Senshi is after Ranma?"  
  
Kasumi popped open her eye. "Whatever do you mean?"  
  
"Which Senshi is Ranma engaged to? Is it Sailor Moon or is it Sailor Venus?" She laughed again. "I know! It's Sailor Sun! Yeah that would really make Kuno freak out."  
  
Kasumi giggled. "Yeah, that's it."  
  
"How did that happen? Did he beat up one in combat and there is some wacky Senshi law that says they're married."  
  
Kasumi relaxed. She put the omelet on a plate. "I don't know how it happened." She handed the plate to Nabiki. "Here's your breakfast."  
  
Nabiki took the plate and went to the dining room.  
  
Kasumi spoke again. "Please Nabiki, don't pursue the Senshi anymore. Ranma's got enough problems."  
  
"Ok sis." She burst out laughing. "How does Ranma get himself into these messes."  
  
Kasumi thought the answer. She kept the answer to herself. "It was his birthright."  
  
  
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Nick Tatopoulos, also known as the 'Worm Guy', was lecturing at Columbia University about the life cycle of the creature known as Godzilla. He was a scientist who looked much younger than he really was. His childlike face made his peers not take him seriously. He had light skin from lack of sunlight and short black hair worn in the fashion of a typical geek. He was the textbook definition of a nerd.  
  
Nick stood before a large crowd and spoke about his adventures with Godzilla. He was showing photos of the damage to New York City and wheeled out a complete baby Godzilla skeleton to show the size of the creature when it was an infant.  
  
He concluded the lecture with the obligatory footage of the creature's death. He had a small autograph signing session and retreated to his tiny office. He had been working with the University since the attack collecting samples and documenting everything he could about the creature. On his desk sat a single giant tooth extracted from the mother after it was killed on the Brooklyn Bridge. It straddled the desk and resembled an elephant's tusk.  
  
He saw he had a telephone message. It was from an old friend. He dialed the phone number written on the scrap of paper. "I was afraid you were going to call me someday."  
  
Philippe Roache spoke only one word. "Dragonfly."  
  
Nick knew the code. "When did the policy expire?"  
  
"Two weeks ago."  
  
Nick closed his eyes and felt overwhelming gloom. He had a duty to perform. "I'll be at the airport. Where is it?"  
  
"You're going to Okinawa." Philippe gave him the terminal number at JFK airport. He needed to be packed and ready in three hours. A French operative would be waiting with his pass to get past security.  
  
Nick hung up the phone. He stared at the tooth on his desk. "Shit."  
  
  
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Ukyou was practicing with a newly purchased katana against Konatsu. She had gone out and purchased a complete set of used ninja weapons and a new ninja outfit for Konatsu. Ukyou had gotten tired of him having to stop sparring sessions to repair his low quality weapons. She didn't like the sword that a Kunoichi used and instead she chose a katana as her alternate weapon of choice to add to her combat spatula. Konatsu was all too happy to train with Ukyou in the arts of the ninja. Ukyou took her training seriously and learned the ninja techniques very quickly. She mastered deflecting throwing stars after only a few days and one more day was needed to train her on how to avoid them without using her spatula as a shield.  
  
Konatsu's skill was increasing as well. He mastered avoiding and parrying Ukyou's spatula blows and their sword fights were fast and furious.  
  
They concluded their sparring match and Ukyou got ready for school. She bid Konatsu farewell and ran off.  
  
Konatsu practiced in the backyard for another half hour before his friend showed up. "Hello Konatsu." Came a familiar voice.  
  
Konatsu held his pose with his koshigatana. "Hello Sasuke. You're in the second trash can and have been there for five minutes."  
  
Sasuke popped out of the trashcan. "You're getting better. But I've been here for seven minutes."  
  
Konatsu nodded. "The wind rustled differently then. It was you?"  
  
"Yes my friend."  
  
"I will be more diligent. My turn." Konatsu slid into the shadows. Sasuke stood in the alley and practiced a kata with his bokken. He waited for Konatsu to spy on him.  
  
Sasuke practiced for ten minutes and stuck a wooden crate. "Gotcha!"  
  
The crate next to it popped open. "You're slipping Sasuke."  
  
"You've improved a great deal."  
  
"I've been practicing with Ukyou. She is very perceptive. She challenges my skills."  
  
Sasuke sat down on a crate. "I wish my master had the power of perception."  
  
Konatsu sat down next to Sasuke. "I know what you mean. My mistress can be so single minded sometimes."  
  
"I think my master is more single minded."  
  
"No, my mistress is more single minded. She is obsessed with improving her martial arts skills." He gave a girlish giggle. "I must say she is making great improvements."  
  
"At least your mistress is doing something constructive. My master wants to date Sailor Scouts now."  
  
Konatsu put his head down and buried his face in his hands. "Let me guess. Sailor Sun or Io."  
  
Sasuke was amazed that Konatsu guessed correctly about Kuno's newest obsession. "How did you know? He wishes to date both of them."  
  
Konatsu laughed. "Figures."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Those two Senshi are already a couple."  
  
Sasuke was very curious in how Konatsu had forbidden information on the Senshi. "How did you know those two Senshi are a couple?"  
  
"Don't ask. Just trust me that those two would have nothing to do with Tatewaki and leave it at that."  
  
Sasuke sighed at the hopelessness of his master's situation. "Oh, you mean like the master's previous loves, Akane and the pig tailed girl? Or shall I say Ranma?"  
  
Konatsu burst out a laugh. "Yeah. I'd say it's like that."  
  
Sasuke groaned. "My poor master. He has such bad luck with women. I hope his plan doesn't backfire."  
  
Konatsu spun to face Sasuke. "What plan?"  
  
  
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The phone rang in Ranma's classroom. The teacher answered it. "Ranma, you're needed at the principal's office." He handed him a hall pass.  
  
Ranma took the pass and started walking toward the stairs to the lower floor where the principal was. He turned a corner and a bomb exploded releasing a cloud of noxious gas. Ranma fell over sound asleep.  
  
Kodachi emerged from the top of the stairs. She was wearing her high school uniform and a purple bow in her hair. "Oh Ranma darling. It's so nice of you to drop in on me like this!" She waited for the cloud to disperse and she picked up Ranma and ran off leaving a trail of rose petals. "Ha ha ha!"  
  
Akane heard the laughter. She ran to the window and saw Kodachi running with Ranma over her shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Why that crazed woman!"  
  
The teacher slammed a ruler on the desk. "Mrs. Saotome, please get back to your desk."  
  
"Sorry, I've got to rescue my husband." She opened the window.  
  
"What are you doing? This is the third floor."  
  
Akane turned to the teacher. "Yeah so? I'm from Nerima." She jumped. She bolted down the walkway to the front gate.  
  
The teacher opened the drawer and pulled out a flask and took a swig. He thought, "School only has six weeks left. Only six weeks to go."  
  
Usa and Usagi gave worried looks at each other. They knew they were going to hear about this at lunch.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Akane stood out the front gate of the school. It wasn't hard to follow Kodachi. The trail of rose petals was a dead giveaway. She followed the trail right into the waiting arms of Tatewaki Kuno. "Ah my love! I've finally freed you from Ranma's horrible grasp."  
  
Akane broke free and stood back. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Why my sister has dealt with Saotome. He is no longer in control of your feelings." Tatewaki made a valiant pose. "I am here for you to finally express your deepest emotions of love."  
  
KICK! Kuno went flying.  
  
"Honestly!" Akane started to follow the trail but saw that it ended where she was standing. It was a trap for her. She fumed. She relaxed and let her Senshi senses kick in. She felt Ranma's presence off to the right. She ran to the rooftops and followed her heart.  
  
Kodachi was running at top speed with her prize. She jumped off of a rooftop into a business office. The secretary was surprised that someone entered through the window instead of the door. Kodachi put down a piece of paper on the desk. "I'm here to get my darling's marriage annulled and for us to be wed."  
  
The secretary nodded, "You're Kodachi right?"  
  
"That's correct."  
  
The secretary punched the intercom. "Miss Kuno is here to see you." She spoke to Kodachi. "He'll be right out."  
  
Kodachi waited expectantly. The judge was well connected. He could easily prepare the paperwork to erase Akane from the picture and have her and Ranma be husband and wife in the legal sense of the word.   
  
The judge came out. He was not happy to be participating in this miscarriage of justice. "You have the paperwork ready?"  
  
Kodachi pulled some sheets of paper from her blouse. "Here you go!"  
  
The judge took the papers. He examined the marriage form. He pointed to the bottom of one of the entries. "Is this Ranma's signature?" He knew Kodachi would lie.  
  
"Of course your honor." She sat upright and beamed in delight.  
  
The judge sighed as he saw that Ranma was asleep. He had to go through the motions. "Mr. Saotome, do you wish for your previous marriage to be annulled?"  
  
Kodachi grabbed Ranma's head and nodded it for him. "He says yes."  
  
The judge shook his head in disgust. He was only doing this because Kodachi was able to obtain pictures of him with a prostitute and threatened to publish the photos if he didn't go through with this. "Very well." He reached into his briefcase and pulled out the blank annulment decree. He started to fill it out.   
  
Kodachi got worried. She felt that Akane was coming. "Could you please hurry it up?"  
  
The judge shot a glance of disdain at Kodachi. He continued to fill out the decree.  
  
Akane jumped into the window. She saw Kodachi sitting on a chair and Ranma fell over to put his face on her lap. "Kodachi! What are you doing with my husband?"  
  
Kodachi got up and dropped Ranma onto the floor. She jumped in-between the judge and Akane. She told the judge, "Finish it!" She focused on Akane. "Ranma Darling is mine! You can't have him!"  
  
"Like hell he's yours!" She shot a punch at Kodachi. She blocked it with a gymnastic pin that appeared in her hand.  
  
The judge didn't want his office destroyed. "Hey you two! Take it outside!"  
  
Kodachi smiled. "Gladly." She grabbed Ranma and jumped out the window. Akane followed.  
  
The judge completed the paperwork and left it on the table. "That dirty witch." He went into his office and slammed the door.  
  
Kodachi was beside herself with glee. In moments Ranma would be free from Akane and Kodachi was just a simple document away from marital bliss. Kodachi didn't bother to fight Akane. She simply needed to buy time. Ranma started to wake up. The breeze from the roof hopping cleared all the sleeping gas from his system. "Where am I?"  
  
Kodachi started to panic. "I'm taking you back to school." She changed direction to Juuban High.  
  
Ranma started to struggle. "Hey! Put me down!"  
  
Kodachi stopped roof hopping. "As you wish my darling husband! Ha ha ha!" She ran off trailing rose petals.  
  
Ranma sat up. "What was that all about?"  
  
Akane jumped next to Ranma. "Are you ok?"  
  
"I think so. Why was Kodachi carrying me?"  
  
"I don't know. It's not like her to leave you like this."  
  
Ranma remembered something. "What did she mean by 'my darling husband'?"  
  
Akane bugged her eyes out. "What was she doing in that office? C'mon we've got to go back!" Akane pointed back to where they came from.  
  
Ranma took a minute to shake off the effects of the paralysis gas. The two roof hopped back to the office and jumped in. Tatewaki and Kodachi were standing there. Kodachi wore a wedding veil on her head. "Oh my husband has come for his bride."  
  
Ranma was totally confused. "What's with you? I'm married to Akane."  
  
Tatewaki approached Akane and took her hand. Kodachi took Ranma's hand. Kodachi happily cried, "I've had your marriage annulled my love! You're free to marry me, oh my darling!"  
  
Both Ranma and Akane pulled their hands away from the Kuno's. "You can't annul our marriage."  
  
Kodachi had a look of victory. She was finally going to win. "Yes I can. Ranma gave his consent."  
  
"I did not!"  
  
"You were before a judge and you nodded yes. That is consent!" She produced a copy of a decree. "Here is your annulment order."  
  
Akane grabbed the paper and read it. "Wait, you can't just annul a marriage. We'd have to divorce!"  
  
"Oh but you can annul. After all, you've never slept together. I know the two of you can't stand each other."  
  
Ranma and Akane smiled. They both gave grins that a Cheshire cat would be envious of. "Oh yeah?"  
  
Ranma grabbed Akane and bent her backwards and gave her a passionate kiss. Tatewaki and Kodachi reeled in shock. Tatewaki raised his bokken. "How dare you do that to the fair Akane Tendo!"  
  
Akane purred. "Oh Ranma, that was just as good as last night."  
  
Kodachi screamed out, "You didn't actually SLEEP WITH HER DID YOU?" She fainted.  
  
The judge heard that and came out of his chambers. He saw Ranma kissing Akane and tapped him on the shoulder. Ranma lifted Akane into an upright position. The judge whispered a question into Ranma's ear. Ranma whispered an answer. The judge smiled and looked at Tatewaki. "Sorry, the decree is invalid. They have consummated their marriage. They need to file a proper divorce." He gestured for the four to leave. "Have a nice day."  
  
Tatewaki was shaking in total anger and fury. He waved his bokken at Ranma. "This is still not over Saotome! I will break your spell!"  
  
"Get lost Kuno." Ranma turned to Akane and faced the window. "Shall we?"  
  
Akane growled. "Let's go darling." They kissed each other and jumped out the window and ran back to school.  
  
Tatewaki snapped his bokken in half. His sister's plan was so close to succeeding. He picked up his sister and left out the office door.  
  
The Saotomes hopped over several buildings until curiosity got the better of Akane. She landed in front of Ranma stopping him. "What did the judge ask you?"  
  
Ranma blushed. "You really want to know?"  
  
Akane looked into her husband's eyes. "Yes."  
  
"He asked. Was it good?"  
  
Akane gave a look that Ranma's life was in jeopardy if he gave the wrong response. "Your answer?"  
  
Ranma held her close. "You'd better believe it."  
  
Akane turned a shade of red that rivaled Ranko's hair.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me sending 10,000 invitations to everyone in your neighborhood for the grand party you are hosting at your expense.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 1st, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	5. Kasasa

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 5 Kasasa  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me watch a Jerry Springer marathon.  
  
  
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Kasasa, Kagoshima was a city on the southwest tip of Japan. The fishing vessels were leaving port on another trek to fill the nets with fish to feed the hungry masses. This was no ordinary day. It was a day that something would pay the city a visit.  
  
Five fishing boats moved in a loose formation. They were traveling westward to the deeper waters. The captain of the lead boat noticed the water ahead was white and frothing. The water in the ocean started to swell. The fisherman on all of the ships saw it as a bad omen and turned their vessels away from the second wave that came from the sea. The lead ship tipped and almost capsized. The captain was able to right the vessel and brought it to a stop. He dropped anchor and assessed the situation. He got on the radio. "Docking control. Was there an earthquake recently?"  
  
"No. Everything is..." THUMP! "We just felt a tiny quake. Maybe it was an aftershock."  
  
The captain was about to answer when his vessel lurched backwards toward the shore. His anchor was stuck on something. He ran outside of the bridge and on deck and saw his crew fighting with the anchor chain. "Release the anchor!"  
  
One of the crew pulled the lever that disengaged the chain motor from the spool. The chain quickly was pulled into the ocean and the vessel stopped its backwards motion. The water behind the ship rose up and a four-meter tall fin broke the surface and headed toward land. The crew uttered cries of, "Oh my god!" "What the hell is that?" "Call Japanese defense!"  
  
The captain ran to the wheelhouse and grabbed the mike. He had friends on a fishing vessel that was sunk years ago. He spoke the word that he never wanted to say in his life. "Docking control! Gojira! Gojira!"  
  
The docking control operation was terrified. The last time that word was said, a Japanese seafood processing ship was lost with all hands. "What!?!?"  
  
The captain watched the fin move quickly to the city. "It's Godzilla! Sound the alert! It's coming right NOW!"  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
The air raid siren went off. Everyone in Kasasa looked around as if it was some sort of mistake. The ground shook. THUMP!  
  
The people of the city of Kasasa turned to the origin of the sound. The sea appeared calm. THUMP! The ocean started to froth. People started to walk away from the ocean. THUMP! It got louder. There were some screams from the crowd and fear ran rampant. THUMP! Something came up out of the water. More people screamed and ran for their lives from the form rising from the sea.  
  
A giant head emerged from under the end of the dock. The wooden planks shattered and flew in all directions. Two men went flying into the air and landed with a splash. The head lifted itself twelve meters above the surface and a boat slid off the spike on the neck and crashed on the rocks below. The head opened its gigantic gaping mouth exposing tall fang like teeth. A mighty roar echoed across the cityscape shattering windows for blocks. Everyone who was within two hundred meters had to hold onto their ears to lesser the pain from the volume of Godzilla's bellowing cry.  
  
The creature sniffed the air. It was attracted by the odor of a cannery near the shoreline and lifted itself out of the water. It stood over fifty meters high and was over one hundred twenty meters long. The monster had three parallel rows of spikes on its back starting from the back of the head all the way to the tip of the tail. Its body was dark green and resembled an iguana yet it had features of a tyrannosaurus rex. It took a step towards the rapidly emptying cannery building.  
  
The supervisor gazed out of his office window petrified with shock. He dropped his tea cup on the floor and pushed his wheeled chair away from his window as if that was going to save him. The monster looked in the window with its huge reptilian eye. Another man ran into the office and slapped his boss to wake him from his stupor. The two ran for the stairs and sprinted out the front door.  
  
The personnel of the cannery ran away. Godzilla placed its massive claw on the roof and peeled it off like an orange rind. It reached in and grabbed a bin of fish and placed it in its mouth. It continued to eat until there was no fish remaining. It proceeded to pick up a trailer truck and empty the fish products into its gaping mouth.  
  
The entire vicinity near the cannery was devoid of human life. They were long gone. The police cars arrived. The officers got out of their vehicles and stood staring at the awesome sight before them. The creature turned to look at the flashing lights on the patrol cars. The officers jumped back into their police vehicles and drove off once the creature took a step in their direction. It roared at them. Seeing that there was no more fish in the building, it turned back to the sea. It dove into the water and out of sight.  
  
The fishing vessels still out at sea saw the shadow of the creature move quickly past them and out into the deep water. The crews breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
Godzilla had been fed.  
  
  
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Ami was getting ready to go to school when her communicator went off. "Mercury here."  
  
Artemis was on the other line. "Mercury, watch TV right now. Something is going on in Kasasa. I think it's related to what happened on Okinawa Island yesterday."  
  
"What happened?" Ami turned on the TV in her room. She rarely watched the TV except for the Discovery or History channels. She turned to the news station.  
  
"... was incredible. The monster had destroyed two fishing boats and three people are missing. The creature is similar to the one called Godzilla that attacked New York City several years ago." The TV showed footage of the creature diving back into the ocean from a camera that was jumping everywhere. The cameraman was worried about being the things next meal.  
  
Ami was sweating. "I see it. Can you get Sun to give me a ride?"  
  
Artemis frowned as best as he could. He was a cat and cats don't frown very well. "You know what Sun does when she sees me. Ask her yourself. I'll gather all the information I can and upload it to your computer. Artemis out."  
  
Ami dialed Ranma's number. It beeped. "Sun here, OUCH!"  
  
Ranma, Usa, Makoto and Akane were sparring on the roof of Ranma's apartment building. They were all wearing martial arts gis. Ranma was knocked down by Usa's kick. Usa saw an opening and went for it. "Sorry Ranma!"  
  
Ranma glared at her. "You know I've got to answer the call when this thing beeps." He turned to the communicator. "What is it?"  
  
"I need a ride to Kasasa."  
  
"Kasasa? Where's that?" Ranma hadn't memorized the entire geography of Japan.  
  
"I've got a map. It's around southwest Japan."  
  
"Finally! A place I can relate to. Where are you?"  
  
"I'm at home, teleport to my bedroom. Mercury out."  
  
Ranma groaned. "I'm going to get detention for this. I know it." He looked at Makoto, Usa and Akane. "Gotta go. Sun Star Power! Make Up!" The other girls just ignored Sailor Sun's transformation and began to spar with one another. Sun flashed out.  
  
Usa stopped sparring with Akane. The pink haired girl walked to the edge of the apartment building's roof. In the distance she saw the ocean to the east. She shed a tiny tear. "It's started."  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Sailor Sun appeared in Ami's bedroom. Sailor Mercury was ready to go and held out a map of southwest Japan. She pointed at the city of Kasasa. Mercury instructed Sun, "I need you to look for a cannery or factory that was destroyed by a giant monster."  
  
"Giant monster?" She added sarcastically. "Oh that's just great." Sun concentrated on the map and focused her magic on the destination. "What in the world?"  
  
Mercury stowed away her computer in subspace. "What do you see?"  
  
"I'll have to show you. You're not going to believe this." Sun grabbed Mercury. "Sun Beam Transport!"  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
The area was evacuated and the Japanese Defense force had arrived. The attack was long over. There was destruction all around the dock and the cannery. Two Senshi appeared in the middle of the dock. Mercury activated her visor and scanned the area. Sun looked at a fishing vessel that was lying on the sand on its side crushed like a child's toy. Sun saw the outline of the hand that had held the boat. It was larger than any creature she had ever encountered.  
  
Mercury walked as far down the dock as she could. The end was smashed and shattered boards were everywhere. Her visor displayed a newly dug trench cut into the ocean floor leading from the sea up to shore. The trench was twenty meters wide and ten meters deep. Whatever made that trench was massive. Mercury turned to look at the cannery and gasped as the way the roof was discarded off to the side as if someone opened a can of sardines and threw away the lid. She ran to the cannery to check out the damage. Sun followed her.  
  
The cannery had several soldiers surrounding it. The lead soldier stopped the Senshi. "You can't come any closer."  
  
Mercury shut off her visor. "I'm Sailor Mercury. I'm here to see what happened here."  
  
"Can you prove you're Sailor Mercury?" The soldier had seen girls dress like Senshi before to try to sneak pass police lines at concerts. He wanted to make sure he wasn't being fooled.  
  
Sailor Sun didn't take any lip from anyone. She invoked her magic turning her eyes into giant black dots with flames for pupils. "Is this proof enough?" She held out a fireball in her hand.  
  
"Uh... Ok..." He backed off.  
  
Mercury got wide eyed. "Don't do that Sun. You'll scare them senseless." She walked to the cannery and went inside. The place was barren. All the fish packing equipment was smashed and fish slime covered the floor. Only the four walls remained standing. The interior was completely gutted. The place stank of rotting fish. "Ewww!" Mercury activated her visor and took recordings.  
  
Sun looked around. "Looks like this thing has a taste for sashimi." She held her nose. "Bad sashimi."  
  
"Well, at least we know what it wants." Mercury scanned the perimeter and got a radiation spike. "Let's go this way."  
  
Outside of the cannery was a Frenchman with a camera. He was taking pictures. Beside him was another Frenchman holding a Geiger counter taking readings. Mercury approached the man with the Geiger counter and scanned the device. The French cameraman saw the girls and spoke in halting Japanese with some French mixed in. "Hello there mademoiselle. Pleasure meeting a Senshi." He took Mercury's hand and gently kissed it.  
  
Mercury blushed. Sun crossed her arms. "You're not kissing my hand."  
  
"But of course." He snapped another photo of the cannery. He reached into his shirt pocket. "My card." He handed business cards to both Sun and Mercury. He pointed at the building. "What do you think did this?"  
  
Mercury glanced at the cannery. "We're looking into it." She looked at his card. It read, 'Industrial Insurance International.'  
  
Philippe smiled, "I need to ascertain whether this was an act of god or an accident. We have to know if it's covered."  
  
Sun was suspicious. Her experience with Nabiki was telling her that he wasn't exactly being truthful. "This only happened recently. You got here pretty quick."  
  
Philippe loved his line of work. "It's my job."  
  
Mercury tapped Sun. "We're done here. The radiation spike was the Geiger counter."  
  
Sun never broke her gaze at Philippe. She grabbed Mercury. They flashed out.  
  
Philippe held his camera lovingly. He had snapped a few pictures of the Senshi as well.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Usa, Makoto and Akane were continuing their practicing of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Akane was impressed at Usa's skill level. Akane was much better then Usa, but Usa was only a month or two of intense training away from catching up to Akane. Akane threw a series of blows on Usa who deflected most of them. Akane kicked Usa in the ribs and sent her flying.  
  
Usa got up. "You're good. I didn't expect you to be this good."  
  
Akane held her attack stance. "What did you expect?"  
  
"Well you only became this good after your adventure in Solitude. I thought it took you a year to get to this level."  
  
Akane spun around and placed a kick in Usa's shoulder. Usa dodged it. Akane prepared another volley of blows. "I've been practicing the art since I was a little girl."  
  
Usa dodged the new assault. "It shows." Usa took a gentle blow to the head. Akane was pulling her punches.  
  
Akane hopped away from Usa. "Ok. Makoto it's your turn."  
  
Makoto pleaded. "Please don't beat me up like that. I'm not that good."  
  
Akane smiled. She loved having her ego fed. "Let's practice flips then."  
  
Akane was showing a different way to perform a flip for Makoto when a visitor arrived on the roof. "Hi there sis!" Nabiki came out of the stairwell.  
  
Akane was surprised. "Nabiki? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to see my sister. Can't I do that once in a while?" She gave a well-practiced innocent smile.  
  
Akane grew stern. "What do you want?"  
  
Nabiki saw Makoto and Usa. "Who are your friends?"  
  
"This is Usa. She is Usagi's cousin and you've met Makoto."   
  
Usa gave a very cold stare at Nabiki. "Hi." Usa didn't appear to like Nabiki at all.  
  
Nabiki took Akane aside so that Makoto and Usa wouldn't hear. She whispered. "I need to ask a favor of you."  
  
Akane whispered back. "What sort of favor?"  
  
"Well, I know that Ranma knows the Senshi."  
  
Akane trembled. "Uh... No he doesn't."  
  
"Don't lie to me little sister! I know there is a connection. Now, I need for you to arrange a meeting with Sailor Sun and Sailor Io and Kuno."  
  
Akane was insane with rage. She shouted, "Are you out of your mind!"  
  
"Hey sis! It will get that loser off your back."  
  
Akane started to control herself. "Explain."  
  
"Simple, Tatewaki has developed a crush on Sailor Io and Sailor Sun. Don't ask me why. He's just hounding me to arrange a meeting. I think he wants to date with them. Now, if he is bugging the Senshi, that means he's not bothering you." Nabiki stood up and gave a grand smile. "Besides, he's paying a fortune!"  
  
Akane didn't know whether to kiss her sister or launch her into space. "So you're saying that you want to piss off the Sailor Senshi?"  
  
"They'll be mad at Kuno. You don't have to tell them that I arranged the meeting. It will only take about ten seconds with Kuno before they blast him with their magic or he'll knocked out like a light."  
  
Akane had to poke holes in Nabiki's logic. "Let's say Kuno meets the Senshi. They'll zap him and leave. What then? Did you think about that?"  
  
Nabiki held her arms up. "Hey, that's Kuno's problem. He only wants me to arrange a meeting and has paid handsomely for it."  
  
Akane leaned toward the idea of launching her sister into space. "And then you'll arrange another meeting and another. When does this end Nabiki?"  
  
Nabiki giggled. "I hope it never ends! The amount of money I'm getting from him will pay off our college tuition. At the rates he's paying, I'd say three meetings should pay for two years for both of us."  
  
Akane melted emotionally. Nabiki may use mercenary tactics, but her heart was with the family. Akane had some thoughts. She could use this to her advantage. "I'm not saying I can get the Senshi to show up. They do whatever they want to do. But if I can arrange a meeting, what's supposed to happen?"  
  
Nabiki shook her head gently. "I suppose that Kuno will recite confessions of love and beg to date with them. I think that would be the time he's roasted and then the meeting would be over."  
  
Akane liked that idea. "When and where is the meeting supposed to take place?"  
  
Nabiki put her hands on her hips and gave a mocking look. "You tell me."  
  
Akane needed some time to plan. After yesterday's disaster with the Kunos, Akane really wanted to punish them. "I'll see what I can do. No promises you understand."  
  
"Call me with the time and place. I'm certain Kuno will get there by any means necessary. Ta ta!" Nabiki was ecstatic. She was going to bleed Kuno dry and he was going to come back for more. It was worth the detention she was going to get for being late to Furinkan High School.  
  
Akane felt good. Makoto and Usa waited for Nabiki to leave and then went over to Akane. Makoto faced Akane. "What was that all about?"  
  
Akane cracked her knuckles. "I'm going to punish Tatewaki for love and justice."  
  
Usa jumped in glee. "Can I help?"  
  
Makoto grinned. "Was it that jerk that tried to marry you yesterday?"  
  
Akane nodded giggling at what horrible things she could do to Kuno. "Yep."  
  
"Well then count me in too!"  
  
Akane walked to the edge of the building. Akane apologized, "Don't worry Makoto. A few more weeks of training and you'll be able to ki jump like Usa and I." She grabbed Makoto and jumped to the balcony of her apartment. Usa jumped down as well.   
  
Usa led the way inside and did a back flip right onto the couch. Akane did the same. Akane smirked. "I'm still better than you."  
  
Usa pouted. "I thought I had you."  
  
Makoto was amazed at how Usa had changed. "Chibi Usa, you've really grown up."  
  
Usa didn't listen. She reached onto the table and grabbed a plate of store bought cookies. She devoured them in five seconds.  
  
Makoto retracted her statement. "Or maybe not."  
  
Akane reached under the table and opened another bag of cookies. She poured them on the empty plate. "Girls, let's plan operation: Make Kuno Pay!"  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Sailors Sun and Mercury were inside of Mercury's bedroom looking at footage that Artemis had given them from the attack on Okinawa. They teleported to the village and saw the destruction firsthand. Mercury scanned the burned buildings. She choked back tears.  
  
Sun held Mercury's shoulder. She knew what had happened. She could feel the death in the air. "How many?"  
  
Mercury turned off her visor and turned away from the decimated dwellings. "I counted thirty-five bodies still in the wreckage."  
  
Sun held Mercury as she gave a gentle sob for the victims. "There was nothing we could have done. We didn't know." Mercury cried louder. Sun held her face. "Let's find this thing and get rid of it."  
  
Mercury stopped crying. "You're right."  
  
Sun turned to look at the giant footprint at her feet. "We are going to need everyone when this thing shows up next."  
  
They flashed out. Sailor Sun left Mercury at home. Sun teleported again to her apartment.  
  
Sailor Sun appeared in the living room with her back to the three scheming girls. Usa called out, "Hey, we need your input on this."  
  
Sun turned to the girls. "I'm not in the mood right now." She changed to Ranko and went to the bathroom.  
  
Akane got up and follow Ranko. "What's the matter?"  
  
Ranko washed her face. She dried herself with a face towel. "We've got a new enemy and it's huge."  
  
"Huge? What is it?"  
  
"Remember a few years back, the United States was attacked by a giant monster called Godzilla?"  
  
"Who could forget that?"  
  
"There's another one."  
  
Makoto ran to the bathroom. "G-G-Godzilla?"  
  
Usa sat sullen on the couch. She reached into subspace, felt something, smiled and put her hand down.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from switching your long distance service to two tin cans and a long piece of string.  
  
Bill Heineman  
December 31, 2002  
========================================  
burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
======================================== 


	6. Make Kuno Pay!

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 6 Make Kuno Pay! The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me run for President of the United States.  
  
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Nick Tatopoulos surveyed the damage to the village on Okinawa Island. He took soil samples and numerous photographs. He was recognized worldwide as an expert on Godzilla but hated it when everyone called him 'The Worm Guy'. That was the name all the newspapers and newsreaders on TV used to describe him since no one could remember or pronounce his last name.  
  
Philippe stood next to Nick. "Well? Is it going to nest?"  
  
"Probably. Where and when is what I don't know yet." Nick reached down and grabbed a handful of blacked ground. "I'm more curious about why it destroyed the town. It doesn't make any sense."  
  
Philippe checked his watch. They had to leave soon. "What do you mean? It's a monster. Destroying towns are what monsters do."  
  
Nick let the ash fall from his grasp. "No it's not a monster. I've been telling people that for years. It's just an animal like any other. It only wants to survive, nothing more. So far the creature's pattern had been just searching for food. I don't understand what caused it to use its breath attack here." He had a thought. He turned to his companion. "Were there any witnesses who saw the actual attack?"  
  
Philippe pulled out his Palm Pilot. He tapped on the display reviewing his notes. "Yes. There were two on a boat that said they saw the whole thing."  
  
"Let's talk to them. I want to know EXACTLY what happened here."  
  
========================================  
  
Nick and Philippe entered Okinawa hospital in Okinawa city. Philippe produced a CIA identification card and was escorted with Nick to a hospital room. Nick nudged Philippe. "You don't work at the CIA do you?"  
  
"I work for a similar agency, but for a better country," he showed his pride for his homeland.  
  
Toru Tanaka was in traction. His speedboat was picked up and thrown by the giant monster when it went on a rampage and destroyed everything in sight. He fell over forty meters before hitting the water and had barely survived. He was hardly alive when the rescuers found him. Philippe pulled up a chair and sat next to him. He spoke in a soothing voice. "Sir, please tell us what happened."  
  
Toru looked at the Frenchman. "I already told them everything."  
  
Philippe gestured to Nick. "This is the Worm Guy. He needs to know about the monster."  
  
Toru smiled and turned to look at Nick. "The Worm Guy! It is an honor to meet you."  
  
Nick just nodded. He didn't understand a word of Japanese.  
  
Philippe drew Toru's attention back to himself. "Please forgive him. He had not had the opportunity to learn Japanese. Now, please tell us what happened before Gojira attacked." Philippe pulled out a digital audio recorder and set it down to record everything.  
  
Toru closed his eyes. "I will never forget that day for as long as I live."  
  
** Flashback **  
  
Toru was driving a speedboat just offshore. His friend Hiraku was water skiing behind him and was having a great time. The water started getting choppy and Toru cut the power to the boat. "Hey! It's getting too rough. Get back in here!" Toru started to pull in the rope and Hiraku swam back to the boat.  
  
Hiraku climbed on board. "That's just like you Toru. First sign of rough waters and we always go back to port. Can't we have any..."  
  
A loud roar was heard. The two men turned to see a giant creature about twenty meters offshore standing forty meters high. The creature's legs were still in the water so it was actually much taller. The monster just stood there looking for something. It paused to smell the air. It was attracted to a large warehouse.  
  
Several men appeared in the windows of the upper floors. The place was known to be a Yakuza hideout to the locals. No one ever went to that place for fear of his or her lives. The men produced a rocket launcher and fired a shell at the creature. The rocket exploded on Godzilla's hand. The monster looked at its claw and then charged the man who fired the rocket. Several more men appeared in other windows and fired automatic rifles. The bullets didn't faze Godzilla in the least. It pissed it off. The spikes on the back of the monster glowed a bluish white color and it inhaled.  
  
Godzilla breathed a white pillar of bright light from its mouth and engulfed the men and the building they occupied. The building exploded in a giant fireball from the weapons that were stored there. Godzilla felt the shockwave of the explosion. It then proceeded to engulf the entire village with radioactive fire. The attack only lasted two minutes. Each building that exploded and every electrical cable it touched only enraged the giant beast further.  
  
The town's thirty buildings were knocked flat by a final swing of Godzilla's tail. The creature went back to the sandy shore and looked at the ruined village. It was still hungry. It stared at the burnt out ruins of the warehouse. It saw a dock with some people on it jumping into a boat. Godzilla inhaled and a plume of fire came out causing the boat's fuel canister to explode near Godzilla's face. Godzilla heaved its mighty fist and smashed the dock and the boat flat. It caught sight of Toru's boat. Toru panicked and started the engine. Godzilla heard the sound and ran at a speed that seemed impossible for a being of that size and in a moment it was on top of speedboat. Godzilla picked up the boat and both men fell off. Toru hit the water and surfaced a moment later. He floated face up in agony.  
  
Godzilla threw the boat onto land. It shattered into hundreds of pieces when it hit the ground. Godzilla looked around for any sign of something that could attack it or something to eat. The monster slowly turned and went back out to sea.  
  
Toru blacked out.  
  
** End flashback **  
  
Toru let out a breath of air. "Next thing I know, I'm here in the hospital. They told me Hiraku already went home. He paid me a visit this morning so I know he's ok."  
  
Philippe stood up and bowed to Toru. "Thank you for honoring us with your time. Get rest and get well." He spoke in English to Nick. "Let's go. I'll translate on the way to the dock."  
  
The two men left the hospital and got in the rental car and drove to the dock. Nick listened intently as Philippe played the recording of the interview and translated it into English. They arrived at the rental car drop off location when Philippe finished the translation.  
  
Nick thought about the creature's behavior as they walked to the dock. They boarded a large high tech speedboat. Six other Frenchmen were waiting for them. They went into the main cabin and sat around a cramped table. Philippe greeted the commando leader. "It's good to work with you."  
  
Paul, the commander, nodded his approval. "I've heard about you. You've got the respect of my commanding officer." He gestured to the other men. "This is Maurice our pilot, Francis our munitions expert, Albert our medic, Victor our sharpshooter and Alain who's in charge of the packages."  
  
Philippe was pleased. "I take it you've got the packages?"  
  
Paul pointed to Nick and spoke in French. "Is he cleared to know about the packages?"  
  
Philippe changed the conversation back to English for Nick's sake. "Yes. He has clearance. How many and what's the yield?"  
  
"We were only able to make two so far. The first is a 1 kiloton charge and the other is a 10 kiloton charge." Paul nodded to Alain. Alain reached into a cabinet in the back of the room and pulled out a large silver metal chest. He put it on the table and pressed a combination on the latch and it popped open.  
  
Seated snugly in thick foam padding were two plastic objects that looked like giant white pill capsules. Alain pointed to the smaller of the two. "The one marked 'Alpha' is the one kiloton tactical device. We'll use this one if the creature is in shallow water. It can go about 200 meters deep before it implodes. The other marked 'Gamma' is the ten kiloton device and we'll use it if Godzilla is deeper than 200 meters."  
  
Nick interjected. "Where's 'Beta'?"  
  
Alain laughed. "It broke." The soldiers laughed. Nick didn't understand what was so funny. "We only could build two bombs. The third one couldn't be finished in time. Now, to arm," he pulled out Alpha and gave it a twist. The casing came off exposing wiring that was hastily put together. A dial that looked like an egg timer was stuck on the nose of the device. "Open this cover, turn this switch to the on position, then turn the timer." He turned the timer and it started ticking. "I expect a 30 second delay for this one and a two minute delay for the other."  
  
Nick grew pale. Did this wacko just arm a nuclear device? Philippe held Nick's arm in place as he tried to bolt out of the room.  
  
The egg timer stopped ticking. Alain shouted, "BOOM! We're all dead! HA HA HA!"  
  
Nick needed to change his underwear. The men all burst out into total laughter. Alain continued, "Of course," he pulled out a key that was on a chain around his neck. "You need to actually arm the thing first with this."  
  
Paul spoke up, "Ok, that's enough fun with the American. Alain, stow the packages." He began the briefing. "Here's the plan. Nick, you need to give us the most likely location that the creature will strike next. Once we have that, we will have Maurice pilot the boat to the area picked out and we will chum the water. Once the target arrives, we will leave the area and I'll bring the helicopter over the target and Alain will give our friend a serious headache. Any questions?"  
  
Nick was unsure about a few things. "Uh... What about Electro Magnetic Pulse? Won't the bomb knock the helicopter out of the sky?"  
  
Alain shook his head. "This is an undersea detonation with a limited yield device. We should be out of range. If not, well I've got a great life insurance policy." He smiled. The man seemed to welcome death.  
  
"That makes me feel so much better."  
  
Maurice joked, "I expect we'll be out of the area before they start dropping the package. I for one can't wait to surf a tidal wave."  
  
Nick sighed. Philippe stood up. "Well gentlemen, we have a job to do. How long before the helicopter is ready?"  
  
Paul answered, "It's being fueled now. Francis and Victor will finish the landing pad on the back of the boat so we can land the helicopter and refuel at sea if we need to."  
  
Philippe patted Nick on the back. "Well, all we need is the location of where our friend is going to be next."  
  
Nick reached into his backpack. He pulled out a map of Japan. "It struck on Okinawa Island first, then it went to Kasasa. Now, it can go northward or eastward. I really can't determine which. So we'll have to wait for it to make a move."  
  
Maurice wasn't happy. "Great."  
  
Nick continued, "However I've determined that Godzilla is not going to be too hard to trap."  
  
Paul was interested. "How so?"  
  
"The attacks were not in anger. It was just hungry. That means that it's not starving. If Godzilla were starving, it would be rampaging the countryside looking for food. Since it seems to be taking its time, that means that it not going to come after the boat unless we attack it first." Nick glared at Alain. "Once you drop that bomb, you'd better not miss."  
  
Alain petted his bomb case. "Why?"  
  
"I've seen a Godzilla that was pissed off. Trust me, you don't want to piss it off."  
  
========================================  
  
Nabiki was taking her lunch break. She was glad she was able to talk her way out of a detention for being over an hour late to school. Her train ride from Juuban took longer than expected since she missed her connecting train. She giggled thinking how it was Ranma who taught her the benefit of the puppy dog eyes and girlish charm to get out of trouble.  
  
The P.A. system announced her name to come to the main office. She got up and went to answer the page. She entered the office. "You paged me?"  
  
The secretary pulled out a slip of paper. "You have a message. She said it was important."  
  
Nabiki was perplexed. She took the paper. It read, "Nabiki, give me a call, Akane." It had a phone number written below it. She smiled. "Could I use your phone, it's rather important."  
  
The secretary glanced up from her solitaire game. "No, it's against the rules. Use the pay phone outside."  
  
Nabiki silently cursed. If she could get away with not paying, she would. She went a group of phones away from the main lunch area. She called the number.  
  
Akane answered. "Took you long enough."  
  
"Hey sis, did you get a hold of them?"  
  
"Yes. Now, I'm calling in a big favor for this. So it's going to cost you." Akane was holding back her laughter. She had always wanted to extort money from Nabiki for a change.  
  
Nabiki tried to weasel out of paying. "After all I've done for you sis?"  
  
"You cut us off financially, so Ranma is working almost every night to pay our bills."  
  
"It's a learning experience for him. It's a lesson in life."  
  
"Well here is my lesson to you..." Akane bit her lip. She didn't know how much was too much. "The price is twenty thousand yen."  
  
"Now sis, that's a lot of money!"  
  
"Take it or leave it."  
  
"How about we compromise? Fifteen thousand yen." Nabiki wanted to laugh. She would have paid five hundred thousand yen for this.  
  
"Ok, it's a deal. Does Kuno still practice Kendo after school?"  
  
Nabiki made a fist and pulled it in front of her chest. She silently screamed, "YES!" She answered. "Yes, he practices with his club right after school at 3:30."  
  
"Sailors Sun and Io will meet him at 4 PM at the Furinkan Gym. I suggest that you don't be there."  
  
"Don't worry sis. I'll be long gone."  
  
Akane looked at Makoto, Ranma and Usa. The four of them were holding back their glee. "Ok, I'll get them to show up. Bye." She hung up. "SUCKER!"  
  
Nabiki hung up the phone. "SUCKER!"  
  
Akane turned to the group. "Ok, we are going to have to make sure we know our parts ok?"  
  
Makoto rubbed her hands together with anticipation. "Oh I just can't wait to nail this guy."  
  
Ranma laughed. "I can't wait to see the look on his face!"  
  
Usa added, "I really think it would work better with Minako or Usagi."  
  
They all looked at each other. "Why not?"  
  
========================================  
  
Nabiki went over to Kuno who was reading a book of Shakespeare. Nabiki thought, "He's probably memorizing his poems for the Senshi." She coughed to get Tatewaki's attention.  
  
Kuno lowered his book to see Nabiki sitting on the table in front of him. "What do you have for me today Nabiki Tendo?"  
  
"Oh Kuno baby, you know I always deliver." She put her sunglasses on and basked in the sun.  
  
Kuno put his book down. He was intrigued. Nabiki only acted this way when she had something of true interest for him. "And what are you going to deliver me? Do you have more photos for me to examine?"  
  
"4 o'clock at the Gym. Be there."  
  
"And what is so special about that time. I will be there anyways for Kendo practice."  
  
Nabiki pulled her glasses down to expose her eyes. "I arranged for the Senshi to meet you there at that time."  
  
"Y-y-you did?" Kuno couldn't believe his ears. "Which one?"  
  
"Both of them. Sailors Sun and Io have agreed to meet with you at 4 today."  
  
Kuno dashed upright and pulled out a comb. He brushed his hair. "I must make myself presentable for my date with the Senshi. What shall I wear? Do you know what the Senshi like as gifts?" His mind was going in fifteen directions at once and all directions led to brick walls.  
  
"Well Kuno, it does depend on one other thing." She held out her open palm.  
  
"For this," Kuno reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash held together with a rubber band. "I came prepared. I knew you would not let me down."  
  
Nabiki knew that money was more than enough to satisfy her for the moment. She quickly pocketed the money. "Don't be late. They won't stay around for long. You know, Senshi business." Nabiki slid off the table. "Pleasure doing business with you."  
  
"Wait! What shall I wear?" Kuno was nervous. He wanted to make a good impression on his new loves.  
  
Nabiki looked Kuno over. He was wearing his usual Kendo uniform. "You look fine." Nabiki looked at the sky. Kuno would probably be skyward at 4:01 PM. "Yes, you are dressed perfectly for today."  
  
Nabiki went to the gym to look around for a good place to hide and take pictures. She needed some shots to sell Kuno as a souvenir for his 'date' today. She picked a spot near a bush near the front of the gym building then went off to class.  
  
========================================  
  
Tatewaki Kuno was a nervous wreck. He was watching the clock as the time neared 4 o'clock. He had ten minutes to go. His sparring partner made an overhead swing and connected on Kuno's shoulder causing the Kendo master to reel in pain.  
  
Kuno jumped away from his opponent. "How dare you strike me?"  
  
Kin was upset. "I made a fair blow. Why were you distracted?"  
  
"Nothing." Kuno sat at the bench. He called Raidon to take his place to spar with Kin. Kuno fidgeted and checked the two bouquets of roses he purchased for his rendezvous.  
  
Nabiki was hiding in the bushes with her camera at the ready. She had the telephoto lens aimed at the entrance of the Gym. At two minutes before four o'clock a bright light flashed near the Gym and six Sailor Scouts appeared in a circle holding hands. Nabiki barely contained her glee. She thought. "Akane really delivered. Makes me almost feel sorry I'm only paying her fifteen thousand yen for this." She snapped a photo.  
  
Instantly all six Senshi turned to her direction, attracted to the sound of the camera clicking. Two of them leapt into the air and landed on either side of Nabiki. The red haired one held out her hand. "Give me the camera."  
  
Nabiki snapped a photo of Sailor Sun and turned to the pink haired Senshi standing next to her and took her photo as well. The pink haired Senshi demanded. "Give me the camera NOW!"  
  
Nabiki lowered the camera and putt the lens cap back on. "I'm Akane's sister. She said it was ok."  
  
A third Senshi joined the group. She had short hair like Nabiki and wore a yellow mini-skirt. Sailor Io spoke. "I don't think Akane gave you permission to take our pictures."  
  
The red haired one gave a tiny laugh then stood upright. The blue-skirted pink haired girl snatched the camera and popped the memory cartridge out and handed the camera back. She handed the cartridge to the yellow-skirted girl. The girl dropped the cartridge on the ground and cast, "Lava Blast!" The cartridge was incinerated.  
  
"Hey! That costs money!" Nabiki was angry. She felt her pocket being pilfered.  
  
Sailor Sun held three more cartridges in her hand. "These cost money too. Didn't Akane tell you not to be here?"  
  
"Give those back!" Nabiki took the memory cartridges back. Sailor Sun grabbed Nabiki. "Sun Beam Transport!"  
  
A flash appeared at the top of Tokyo Tower. Sailor Sun let go of Nabiki. "I think you'll behave now." Sun flashed out.  
  
Nabiki was very dizzy. She wasn't prepared to be turned into a beam of light and have her molecules scrambled across town. She slid to the floor and passed out.  
  
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Sailor Sun and Io went to the entrance of the Gym. They had Neo Sailor Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Mars following them. Sailor Sun and Io stood in the doorway. Neo Sailor Moon slid the door open to dramatically show all six girls at the entrance.  
  
The men reacted normally. Some passed out, others began to drool and others prayed to god thanking the almighty for the vision that stood before them. Tatewaki grabbed the flowers and marched with the confidence of Napoleon on the eve of the battle of Waterloo.  
  
He stood before Sailor Sun and Io. "I presume you are here to meet with me?"  
  
Sun and Io just looked at each other. They then turned to Kuno. Together they asked, "What do you want?"  
  
"I have come to give you this." He held out flowers to each Senshi.  
  
Neo Sailor Moon grew wide-eyed. She stood next to Sailor Io. "Do you accept the challenge?"  
  
Io looked at Sun. "I think he might survive."  
  
Sun held her gloved hand to her chin. "I don't know. He doesn't look like he's worthy of the challenge."  
  
"I am most worthy." Kuno made a valiant pose with his hand on his bokken and his other hand holding a fan with the word 'Kuno' written on it. He had been practicing.  
  
Sailor Venus stood next to Sun. "So, do you wish to take him?"  
  
Neo Sailor Moon clapped her hands. "Why yes! I want a new daddy!"  
  
Kuno turned to the pink haired girl. The hair color did make it look like that she was Sun's daughter. "New daddy?"  
  
Jupiter looked Kuno over. "Of course. Human males don't last long."  
  
Tatewaki was wondering what he got himself into. "Huh?"  
  
Io nodded. "I'll challenge him first." She walked to the center of the Gym. "All of you men, OUT!"  
  
The Kendo club members didn't really listen to the yellow-skirted Senshi. They were still in awe of the raw beauty in front of them.  
  
Sailor Mars shouted. "Are you deaf? Leave now or risk getting hurt!"  
  
Sailor Io raised her hands over her head. "Thunder Hammer Strike!" She made an overhead throw of ki and blasted a small trashcan. In moments the entire gym was cleared out. Kuno tried to run as well but Sailor Sun grabbed him by the collar.  
  
Sun dragged Kuno to the center of the room. Jupiter and Venus shut the doors and stood guard. Sun let go of Kuno at Io's feet. "You've made a challenge. You've got to go through with it."  
  
Neo Sailor Moon stood next to Io and Kuno as if she was a referee. Kuno got off the floor. "I didn't make a challenge."  
  
Io tossed the flowers back at him. "You gave this to me didn't you?"  
  
Kuno looked at the flowers and back at Io. "Of course, it's a token of my affection for you."  
  
Io shot a glance to Neo Sailor Moon. Neo Sailor Moon raised an arm. "You have confirmed that you have issued a challenge of marriage. As per the laws of the Sailor Senshi, you must defeat Sailor Io in combat to win her hand. Sailor Io, please fight Tatewaki Kuno to the death." Neo Sailor Moon spun on her heel to let Kuno regret his decision.  
  
"D-d-death? Wait a minute! Who said anything about a fight to the death?"  
  
Jupiter laughed. "Told you he was a wimp."  
  
Io bowed and took an attack stance. "Shall we begin? If you defeat me, I will date with you."  
  
Kuno pulled out his bokken. "No, if you defeat me, I will date with you."  
  
"That's no fun. If I defeat you, there won't be much left for the cremation urn." Io raised her hands above her head for a ki attack.  
  
"W-w-wait! That's not fair!"  
  
Venus called out, "What's not fair! You issued the challenge!"  
  
Io cast out, "Thunder Hammer Strike!" She shot out a bolt of ki and threw Kuno into the back wall.  
  
Kuno was winded but conscious. Io wasn't going to give Kuno the pleasure of escaping without a generous helping of pain. Sun yelled to Io, "Don't forget that I get him if he survives."  
  
Io ran over to Kuno and grabbed his robe. She threw him over her shoulder and onto the hardwood floor. She then slapped his face and kicked him into the center of the room. She gave Kuno a few seconds to get up.  
  
Kuno knew the Senshi were more powerful than what Io was dishing out. He decided that Io wanted Kuno to win. It gave him confidence. He grabbed his bokken from the floor. "Now fair one, I will defeat you! Strike! Strike! Strike!"  
  
Kuno rapidly poked his bokken at Sailor Io. She easily dodged the attacks and stood back. "Lava Blast!" She threw a flaming ball of lava at the bokken causing it to explode in flame.  
  
Kuno held a smoldering short piece of wood. "Uh, oh."  
  
Sailor Io kicked the bokken fragment out of his hand and followed up with a punch to the jaw. Kuno spun around and fell on the floor in a daze. Sailor Sun gave a nod of approval and had a hint of envy. Sun wanted to be the one doling out the punishment instead of Io.  
  
"You are not worthy." Io turned to the other Senshi. "Is it agreed?"  
  
All five other girls gave thumbs down. Neo Sailor Moon spoke like a referee. "It's been decided. Kuno has lost the challenge and now will pay with his life." All six girls jumped in a circle around Kuno. They all prepared their attack spells.  
  
"Now wait! I didn't mean it! Honestly! It was Nabiki's idea!"  
  
Neo Sailor Moon stopped her spell and held an open hand up. All the other girls stopped gesturing as well. Kuno didn't know that Senshi needed to speak their spells to cast them. All the girls were just waving their hands around. Neo Sailor Moon glared at Kuno with a stare that would freeze the room. "Am I to take it that you weren't aware of the laws of the Beautiful Sailor Suited Senshi?"  
  
Kuno got on his knees. He clasped his hands together. "No! I didn't know that I am to die for losing a challenge."  
  
Mars and Venus were holding back laughter. Sun pinched herself to keep from falling over in complete hysteria. Jupiter and Io gave looks of satisfaction at watching this disgusting pervert squirm like the cockroach he was.  
  
Neo Sailor Moon made a pose. "I must have your word. You will not bother or challenge the Senshi or friends of the Senshi. If you go back on your word, we will hunt you down and KILL you." Neo Sailor Moon made sure she emphasized the word 'kill' in her speech.  
  
"I give you my word! I will no longer bother the Senshi."  
  
Neo Sailor Moon produced her Moon scepter. She aimed it at Kuno in a threatening manner. "NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Your vow must include friends of the Senshi!"  
  
Kuno was confused. It was not a hard state for Kuno to enter. "Who are your friends?"  
  
Sailor Sun announced. "Ranma Saotome is a friend of the Senshi."  
  
Sailor Io added. "Akane Tendo is also a good friend of the Senshi."  
  
Sun had a friend she wanted to help. "Ukyou Kuonji is a trusted friend of the Senshi."  
  
Sailor Jupiter noticed Sun forgot someone. "The pig tailed girl is a teacher and friend of the Senshi."  
  
Kuno went pale at the names of his hated enemies and his true loves were one by one declared off limits. "No. No. You can't ask that of me! I have sworn an oath to protect the pig tailed one and Akane Tendo from the clutches of Ranma Saotome! You must understand that they are prisoners."  
  
Neo Sailor Moon was getting angry. "You either give me your word or face your punishment!"  
  
"I-I can't."  
  
Neo Moon started a speech. "You have issued false challenges."  
  
Venus added, "You have harassed innocent girls."  
  
Jupiter added, "You have tried to steal someone's wife."  
  
Sun fumed, "You have tried to annul a marriage between two people."  
  
Kuno begged, "It was to save Akane!"  
  
Io was furious, "You have pissed off Akane Tendo!"  
  
Mars added, "You are an enemy of the Senshi."  
  
"No! I'm not your enemy!"  
  
Neo Sailor Moon got in Kuno's face. "PROVE IT! Make the vow!"  
  
Kuno was speechless. He saw in his mind the pig tailed one and Akane Tendo being dragged off by Ranma. They were screaming to Kuno for him to save them. He had to find a way out of this. The girls surrounding him started to back away. He knew they were going to create a crater when he sat unless he did what they demanded. "I give you my word."  
  
Sun wasn't fooled. "Speak the entire vow!"  
  
"I, Tatewaki Kuno will not harass the Senshi or their friends."  
  
Io needed to hear a little more. "And you will not try to date with them or break them up with their husbands."  
  
Kuno gritted his teeth. The girls were ready to blast him. "Nor will I try to date with... them..."  
  
Jupiter raised her lighting rod in her tiara. "We haven't got all day!"  
  
Kuno gulped. "Or break them up with their husbands."  
  
Sun and Io gave smiles that almost ripped their faces off.  
  
Neo Sailor Moon sent her scepter into subspace. "It's settled. Kuno let this be a lesson to you. Some battles you can never win." She tilted her head toward the door.   
  
The six girls went to the edge of the room and formed a circle to Sailor Teleport. Sun paused the group, "Gimme a second."  
  
Sun ran over to Kuno. "Kuno, the pig tailed one wanted you to have this."  
  
Kuno looked up in expectant glee. He received the business end of her red boot and went through the roof and into the sky.  
  
Sun ran over to the circle and grabbed on. Neo Sailor Moon led the teleport and they all vanished.  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from stealing everything you own and replacing them with exact duplicates.  
  
Bill Heineman June 20th, 2003 ======================================== burger@contrabandent.com http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill ======================================== 


	7. Tano

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 7 Tano  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or hate me because I'm beautiful.  
  
  
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Six Sailor Scouts appeared in the living room of the Saotome apartment. They immediately started laughing hysterically. They had a great time teaching a lesson to Tatewaki Kuno. Sailor Sun leaned her back against a wall and slid to the floor. "I will fight you to the death! Oh that was good!"  
  
Neo Sailor Moon held her stomach as she bent over in hysterics. "I want a new daddy!" She fell over forwards onto the floor.  
  
Sailor Io chuckled, "If you defeat me, I will date with you! Oh, I've badly wanted him get a taste of his own medicine."  
  
Sailor Mars was holding onto Sailor Jupiter for support. "I don't think I've this much fun in a long time."  
  
Io changed back to Akane. She took a deep breath to help her recover from her sidesplitting amusement. She bowed to her friends. "I want to thank every one of you for your help. I hope that idiot finally got it through his thick skull to leave us alone."  
  
All the rest of the Senshi changed back. Akane went to the kitchen and grabbed a tray of snacks from the refrigerator. She came back to the living room and placed the tray on the table. She smiled. "Here is a little token from me to all of you."  
  
Ranko got wide eyed. The food looked a little strange. She pleaded with her eyes to Akane to put the tray back into the primeval ooze from whence it came from instead of killing her friends with it.  
  
Rei grabbed a piece of carrot and dunked it in the vegetable dip. Usa turned away since she didn't like carrots. Makoto gasped. Ranko violently shook her head. Rei took a bite and time stopped. Rei's eyes popped wide open. She sweated. She changed to green. She changed to blue. She changed to yellow. Smoke came out of her mouth. She burst into a run straight to the bathroom and shut the door. A muffled scream could be heard.  
  
Usa stared at Akane. Minako shrugged. "I guess the teleport was too much for her." She grabbed a piece of celery and dipped it in the dip. She was about to take a bite when Makoto took it from her. Minako tried to take it back. "Hey! That was mine!"  
  
Makoto held it out to Akane. Makoto gave a huge happy smile. "The chef should always try her cooking first."  
  
Akane got angry. "You're just like Ranma! My cooking isn't that bad."  
  
Rei screamed again. The sound of the toilet being flushed was barely audible.  
  
Akane grabbed the celery and took a bite from the end with the dip. "See, there's..." She turned green. She turned blue. She turned yellow. She ran to the bathroom to join Rei.  
  
"Was the dip past the expiration date?" Asked Minako.  
  
Makoto took the dip and emptied it in the trashcan. "I'd say so."  
  
Ranko looked at the tray. "Well, she did cut the vegetables right at least. But these things, I don't know." She held up a cracker with something that looked like peanut butter was on it. Ranko smelled it and it smelled like peanut butter. She touched it with her finger and gave it a taste. It was peanut butter. "Whew! At least these are ok."  
  
Makoto tapped Ranko's shoulder. "Uh..." She pointed at the trashcan. It was starting to smolder.  
  
Ranko rolled her eyes. "That's our last trash can. I'm going to have to buy some more tomorrow." She grabbed the trashcan and jumped out the window. Minako and Makoto wanted to grab Ranko to prevent her suicide but then remembered that she could jump safely from twelve stories.  
  
Usa munched on the sliced hard-boiled eggs while avoiding the dreaded carrots at all costs. "Is Akane a bad cook?" She slapped her forehead at her sudden revelation. "Oh, that's right! She hadn't gone on that training mission yet."  
  
Makoto turned around slowly. "You mean in the 30th century Akane can cook?"  
  
Usa laughed. "She sure can! She's one of the best in the kingdom. You, her and uh... Ranko yeah, have cooking challenges all the time. Wish I could say the same for my mother." She shook her head like she was thinking about some sort of cooking disaster she had to rescue her mother from.  
  
Makoto looked to the sky and clasped her hands. "There is hope for Akane after all!"  
  
Rei and Akane moaned from the bathroom. They were in too much pain to pay attention.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Ranko ran to the dumpster and threw the trashcan inside. She slammed the lid shut to cut off the supply of oxygen and put out the fire. Ranko was lucky. It didn't look like the dip was going to cause serious damage this time. She waited for a minute to make sure that the dumpster or its contents weren't going to catch on fire, explode or somehow start a nuclear chain reaction. She was satisfied that the danger was over and walked back to the apartment building.  
  
She stood at the steps leading up the front glass doors of the building. She gazed at her balcony and thought about Akane. Akane meant well, but she really needed to taste her food before serving it to guests.  
  
Ranko mumbled to herself. "Why is she such a bad cook?"  
  
"Because she no finish bridal training."  
  
Ranko turned around to see who said that. Shampoo tilted her head, raised her hand in a greeting, closed her eyes and gave a very cute girlish smile. "Nihao Ranma!" She poured hot water on Ranko's head from her handy kettle.  
  
Ranma pulled back expecting to be glomped. "Uh... Hi Shampoo." He checked his clothes to see if they were ok for being a male. He was wearing a light orange Chinese shirt and dark blue pants. He was dressed properly to prevent embarrassment in his male form.  
  
"Ranma hungry? Shampoo bring good food." She pulled out her food box and patted it. "Shampoo bring ramen and pork buns."  
  
Ranma looked up at the balcony of his twelfth-floor apartment. He hoped that Rei and Akane had not transformed back into Senshi to use the healing powers to recover from the vegetable dip. He didn't want to explain why Sailor Senshi were hanging around his home to Shampoo. "Shampoo, why are you here?"  
  
"Nabiki tell Shampoo where home of Ranma is. Shampoo bring dinner for Ranma." She dropped her smile a little. "Please can Shampoo visit Ranma home?"  
  
"Uh... I've got guests right now." Ranma didn't want Shampoo to start fighting with Akane again. Ranma thought about how to punish Nabiki for telling Shampoo where they lived. Sailor Sun should drop Nabiki off in Alaska tomorrow.  
  
Shampoo dropped her smile completely and looked glum. "Shampoo understand. Shampoo only want to be friend now." She handed the food box to Ranma. "Take good food yes?"  
  
Ranma took the box. It smelled really good. He still needed to check it for Amazon potions or magic. "Thanks."  
  
Shampoo got off her bike. "Shampoo want Ranma be friend. Friend no?" Shampoo gave a look of sadness. She just wanted Ranma not to hate her.  
  
"This isn't some trick is it?" Ranma was very suspicious. "You didn't put some Amazon love potion in the ramen did you?  
  
"Ranma." Shampoo became very sheepish. "Shampoo want to ask question."  
  
"What is it Shampoo?"  
  
Shampoo swallowed hard. She already knew the answers but she had to ask to settle the matter in her own mind. She swung from side to side as she asked Ranma. "Ranma love Akane yes?"  
  
Ranma looked at the apartment. He thought of Akane. "Yes Shampoo. I love her."  
  
Shampoo put her head down. "Akane love Ranma no?"  
  
Ranma kept his gaze fixed on the balcony. Images of his adventures with his wife flashed in his head. "She loves me Shampoo." Ranma looked at Shampoo. "You already know that. You heard what she said to me when she wore the reversal jewel right side up." During his adventure with Akane in the Jadeite's dimension, Ranma was finally able to look on his courtship with his wife with different eyes. Ranma had time to think about all the times that Akane had professed her love to him and he was too dumb and stubborn to accept it in the past.   
  
Shampoo kept her head down. She closed her eyes to keep tears from forming. "Ranma." She lifted her head and held a weak smile. She badly wanted to hear an answer that would give her some happiness. "Want to be Shampoo's friend?"  
  
Ranma held his hands forward to ward her off. He didn't want Shampoo to jump her. "Friend? Not husband?"  
  
"Shampoo want to be friend with Ranma." She held her head down again. "Shampoo no want Ranma hate Shampoo. Shampoo want Ranma as friend." She gazed at Ranma's blue eyes with her tear-lined eyes. "Please be Shampoo's friend."  
  
Ranma felt a little sorry for Shampoo. "What about your attempts to kill Akane? That's not what a friend does."  
  
"Shampoo promise. Shampoo no fight Akane anymore. Ranma love Akane. Shampoo accept." She was begging. She wanted to be forgiven. "Shampoo want Ranma as friend."  
  
Ranma still didn't trust Shampoo. Ranma saw that Shampoo was being sincere in her attempt to bury the hatchet. Ranma was hoping that Shampoo wouldn't bury it in Akane's head or anyone else's head for that matter. Ranma thought about all the adventures he had shared with Shampoo. Even though Shampoo did try to kill Akane numerous times, she always had some respect for her and Shampoo always wanted only for Ranma to return her affection for him. Ranma stood there thinking about an answer. A few awkward moments passed as Shampoo awaited judgment and Ranma decided his options.  
  
Ranma gently nodded his head. "I want to be your friend Shampoo." Shampoo immediately came to life and gave a huge smile. "As my friend, you'd better learn to behave."  
  
"Aiya!" She grabbed Ranma in a big hug. She didn't glomp him. She gave a hug of a friend to a friend. "Ranma make Shampoo happy!"  
  
"First thing Shampoo, stop the glomping. Akane doesn't like that."  
  
Shampoo let go of Ranma. "Ok."  
  
"Second thing, don't attack Akane anymore." Ranma was serious.  
  
Shampoo stood erect and held her hands together in glee. "Shampoo promise to not fight Akane for Airen."  
  
Ranma sighed. "Third thing, stop calling me Airen."  
  
"But we married."  
  
"No we're not married. Not according to Japanese law anyways. I am married to Akane and only Akane."  
  
Shampoo didn't want to accept the rejection. She for years had tried to convince her husband to come live with her and take his place among the Amazon tribe. Deep down inside, Shampoo knew she had already lost the war to Akane. She desperately wanted to salvage her honor and pride. She had no other choice left. "Shampoo no call Ranma... A... A..." She choked a sob. "Airen anymore.  
  
Shampoo averted her gaze to her husband. She wanted so badly for Ranma to say this was a misunderstanding and that he loved her back. She had to settle for friendship instead of lifelong commitment. She thought now as she did for so many tear filled nights, that maybe a lifelong friendship would be an acceptable substitute. She wanted to weep for the daughter she was never going to have from Ranma. Having Ranma, as a friend and someone to protect would help keep her honor among her tribe.  
  
Ranma liked having friends. All his life in Nerima, people had wanted to kill him, seduce him or take advantage of him. Very few people actually wanted to just be his friend. When he moved to Juuban, the Senshi actually treated him as an equal and expected only kindness in return. He hoped that one day Ukyou would be a true friend and not still harbor a grudge against Akane. He knew that day would come soon. Ranma now had a glimmer of hope that Shampoo would also become a lifelong friend who wanted to be with Ranma because he was good company and not because of some silly Amazon marriage law.  
  
Ranma held his fists together in a yin-yang hold and made a bow of respect to Shampoo. "Friend?"  
  
Shampoo returned the gesture. "Friend!" She looked into Ranma's eyes. "Please Ranma. Someday forgive Shampoo?"  
  
Ranma gave a hint of a nod but said nothing. In his mind, Shampoo needed to earn his forgiveness. This was a good start.  
  
Shampoo gave the puppy dog eyes. "Ranma show Shampoo home in Juuban?"  
  
Ranma could never resist the puppy dog eyes. "Let me ask Akane. Wait here." He held onto the food box tight and jumped up the balconies. He hopped a few times to get back into his apartment.  
  
Ranma entered the apartment and put the food box down in the kitchen. In moments, the entire apartment was filled with the tasty aroma of some delicious Chinese food.   
  
Makoto, Usa and Minako popped into the kitchen. Makoto put her nose to the box and took a whiff. "This smells really good. Where did you get it?"  
  
Minako noticed that she was a he. "Hey! When did you change back?" She started looking for a glass to fill with water to undo the transformation.  
  
"Shampoo's downstairs, she wants to visit and gave this to me." He brushed some of the remaining hot water out of his hair. "She had some hot water handy." Ranma looked around the corner and saw Akane was washing up in the bathroom. Rei was collapsed on the couch.  
  
Usa hopped up. "Shampoo? She's here? Why didn't you say so?" She ran to the door.  
  
Ranma raised his hand. "Usa! Come back here!" It was too late. The pink haired one was out of earshot. "Oh man. Akane is going to flip."  
  
"I'm going to flip about what?" Akane came out of the bathroom. She cleared her throat. "I guess I used too much curry."  
  
Makoto groaned. "Curry in vegetable dip? Where's the recipe so I can destroy it?"  
  
Akane didn't know what Makoto was talking about. "Recipe?"  
  
"What happened to your mother's recipe book? Didn't it have a recipe in it for vegetable dip?"  
  
"Let me see." Akane went to the kitchen and pulled out her mother's recipe book. She leafed through it for a moment and found it. "Here it is."  
  
Makoto looked at the page. "Where does it say to add curry to the dip?"  
  
"Oh, I put that in to liven it up!"  
  
Rei held her stomach. "I'd say it livened it up alright."  
  
Minako giggled. Makoto scolded Akane, "If you ever are going to learn to cook, you'd better start following the recipes exactly like they are written down." She took a quick look at Rei to see if she needed an ambulance. "Or you'll just keep wasting food or worse."  
  
Akane sulked. "I'm sorry, I guess I just got carried away." She slid the recipe book back into the drawer. She noticed the food box for the first time. "Where did that come from?"  
  
Ranma sighed. "Shampoo brought the food. Usa's downstairs with her now."  
  
Usa and Shampoo entered the apartment. Usa came first and looked around to make sure everything was ok and then let in Shampoo. Shampoo waved to everyone. "Nihao everyone! Shampoo is happy to see Ranma's friends. Sorry Shampoo didn't bring enough pork buns for everyone."  
  
Minako went over to Shampoo. She looked her over. "You aren't going to drag off Ranma to China are you?"  
  
Shampoo shrank a little. "No. Shampoo promise Ranma Shampoo behave."  
  
Akane wasn't convinced. She took an attack stance. "You can't have my husband." She stared to cough from the after effects of the dip.  
  
Shampoo relaxed her body. She didn't go into a stance. "Shampoo no fight Akane. Shampoo promise no challenge Akane for Ranma anymore." She gave a bow to Akane and stayed bowed. "Akane win Ranma heart. Shampoo lose to Akane." Shampoo slowly stood up. "Shampoo ask Akane be friend to Shampoo."  
  
Akane kept her stance. She glanced at Ranma. "Is this for real?"  
  
Ranma and Shampoo nodded. Ranma stood aside. "She's not attacking you."  
  
Shampoo bowed to Akane again. "Shampoo will come back soon. Shampoo bring good food for Akane next time. Shampoo hope Akane like."   
  
Shampoo went to the doorway. She stopped and gave a last look at Akane. "Shampoo sorry for fighting for Ranma. Shampoo want to be friend to Saotome and Tendo families." She disappeared down the hall.  
  
Akane watched Shampoo go. "Well that was weird."  
  
Usa sat down in the couch in awe. "Wow."  
  
Akane focused on Usa. "What's your problem?"  
  
"She's not what I expected."  
  
"What did you expect?"  
  
Usa clammed up. "Something else."  
  
Makoto interrupted Akane before she asked another question. "Don't bother. Usa can't talk too much about the future." Makoto glared at Usa. "Or can you?"  
  
Usa sighed. "Yeah, this knowing the future stuff really sucks sometimes."  
  
Ranma pulled out the ramen and started inhaling. "This is good stuff!"  
  
Akane stormed over to Ranma and gave a disapproving glare for his eating habits. "Ranma! If that has any love potion in it... ACK!"  
  
Ranma glomped onto Akane. "Oh my dearest love! How I desire you! I wish to run off with you to China!"  
  
Akane tried to squirm away. "Let me go! I'm going to get that Amazon bimbo!"  
  
Ranma dropped Akane and laughed. "False alarm! There's nothing wrong with the ramen."  
  
Akane glowed blue and sent Ranma flying. "Ranma you perverted jerk!" Ranma once again realized as he flew out the window that there were times that practical jokes just were not appropriate.  
  
Usa grabbed the pork buns. "Leaves more for me!" She inhaled the food.  
  
Akane watched Usa stuff food down her throat at a ferocity that rivaled Ranma's. "Usa, how do you know Shampoo?"  
  
Usa stopped eating. She paused for a moment to come up with an answer. "You and Ranma told me about her. It sounded too weird to be true."  
  
"I don't remember telling you about her."  
  
"You did over nine hundred years from now."  
  
Akane rubbed her forehead. "Stop with the time travel stuff. I'm going to sit down."  
  
  
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Ukyou got home from school and began preparations for opening Ucchan's for the dinner crowd. Konatsu shooed Sasuke away since his first priority was obeying his mistress' wishes instead of ninja practice. Ukyou smiled at Konatsu as he entered from the alley behind the restaurant. She had grown to depend on him to run her restaurant and she started to see him as less than an appliance and more like a friend. Ukyou was happy to have a friend.  
  
She ran to her bedroom to freshen up and change from her Furinkan Boy's Uniform to her standard chef's uniform. She opened her bedroom door and was surprised to find two wrapped gifts on her bed. "Konatsu!"  
  
Konatsu appeared instantly next to Ukyou. "Yes mistress?"  
  
"You have GOT to teach me that technique." Gasped a startled Ukyou. She pointed to the oddly shaped presents. "When did those arrive?"  
  
Konatsu was perplexed. He didn't see how anyone could have gotten to Ukyou's bedroom without him seeing him or her enter. "I... I don't know."  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
"I'm afraid not. Possibly when I was the market today getting the cabbage was when they were delivered. I didn't put them in your room though."  
  
Ukyou examined the gifts. The wrapping paper was solid reddish orange color like the shade of rust. One gift was very flat and large. The other was a little over a meter in length and shaped like a pole. Ukyou looked at the larger gift. On closer examination, it had the distinctive shape of a giant spatula. She picked up the item and found it to be very light. Her battle spatula weighed twenty kilos since it was made of stainless steel. This gift only weighted four kilos.  
  
Ukyou looked around for a card or anything that would say who left these here. She found it next to the smaller item. "Well, at least I'll know where these came from." She put down the larger gift and read the card.  
  
To my dearest friend Ukyou,  
  
I've wanted to write you a letter but I've just never had the courage before. I've known you for a long time. I've put my life in your hands and you've always come through for me. I know that you will someday find what you are looking for. Please accept these gifts from someone who wants to see you fulfill your destiny.  
  
Signed...  
  
A friend  
  
P.S. Please don't ever give up on your dreams.  
  
Ukyou trembled as she read the letter. It was written in very bad handwriting. The only person she knew who wrote this badly was Ranma. She held back her emotions. He was her friend. He was nothing more. She wept a tear of joy that he had thought enough of her to give her a gift. She folded the treasured card and put it back in the envelope. She placed it lovingly on her dresser drawer. She picked up the large gift. "Let's see what Ran-chan got me."  
  
She carefully undid the wrapping paper and nearly fell over in shock. It was a brand new battle spatula made out of some ultra tough lightweight steel. The color was odd since it was a very dull gray much like titanium. Ukyou examined the blade edge and saw that there was Teflon coating and a razor sharp edge to it. She picked up a piece of wrapping paper and slid it on the cutting edge. It was sliced in half without any effort. She didn't dare touch the blade for fear of what it would do to her fingers.  
  
She hefted the spatula and gave it a twirl. It glided through the air and felt like it was a part of her arm. The lack of weight would take a little getting used to. She fell in love with her new weapon and held it tight. She was overjoyed that Ranma must have gone through so much effort and money to get this for her.  
  
After a few intimate moments with her new fighting partner, she remembered that there was a second gift. She carefully placed her new spatula on the bed and picked up the second gift. It reminded her of what Ranma's mother carried around with her. Ukyou dropped her jaw. It couldn't be one of those!  
  
She carefully unwrapped the long object and it was what she thought it was. Ukyou was the proud owner of a very high quality katana. She held the casing tight and gave the handle a pull. It needed a little harder tug but once it started moving, it slipped out like a knife through warm butter.  
  
Konatsu wanted Ukyou to train with a tanto or a ninja short katana like he used. She didn't like it. She preferred a full-length katana but only could afford to buy a cheap one that she didn't think would last two fights before it would break. Now she possessed a weapon that samurais would envy.  
  
Ukyou placed the casing on her bed and examined the blade. It was the highest quality she had ever seen. The handle was ornate and had a strange symbol on it that she didn't know what it was. The metal was also the same dull gray as the spatula and looked just as deadly. She took a few practice swings. The entire weapon felt like it was made just for her. It was perfectly balanced and exactly the right length and size for her body.  
  
Ukyou was utterly speechless. She sheathed the katana and placed it next to the spatula. These weapons must have cost a small fortune. Ukyou slowly fell to her knees and started to cry. She wasn't sad. She was overcome with joy. Ranma loved her. He would not take her for his wife, but he loved her just the same. She was Ranma's best friend and knew in her heart that he was her best friend in return.  
  
Ukyou reflected on her dreams. She wanted to be the best chef in all Japan, maybe even the world. She wanted to fight the good fight. She could do it. With Ranma's help, she could do anything.  
  
Konatsu watched Ukyou cry. He knew it was tears of joy. He was happy for his mistress. "Is everything fine mistress?"  
  
Ukyou faced Konatsu with her tear drenched face with a huge smile. She didn't fear the future anymore. She was full of hope and love. "Everything is perfect."  
  
She wiped her eyes and got up. She unhooked her old spatula and replaced it with the new one. She thought, "Ranma didn't miss a thing." The spatula was perfectly balanced for carrying and had the hook to hang on her back.  
  
Ukyou stood proud. "Let's open for business."  
  
  
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Tano, Kochi Japan felt a small earthquake. It was a small town on a southern Japanese island. The water offshore started to churn and move. A spike from Godzilla's back broke the surface of Tosa Bay and aimed toward shore. It was time for Godzilla to feed.  
  
The people of Tano were ready. The Japanese Defense Force had been placing lookout towers all along the coastline and sonar buoys in the water in hard to spot places in an attempt to get an early warning if Godzilla decided to pay Japan another visit. The work had paid off. A single bored soldier saw the water break and the fin move towards shore. He called in the monster sighting to Japan's military headquarters. An alarm went off and everyone in the city scattered inland.   
  
The Japanese General got the report and crumpled it up and threw it down on his desk. He gave the order for fighters to take off with type 80 Radar homing and type 93 Infrared homing missiles. The missiles were designed to attack ships, but they were modified to track a biological target due to the crisis. They had read the reports given to them by the Americans on how to hit Godzilla and hit it hard. Japan was ready.  
  
A klaxon sounded in the pilot's barracks. The men jumped out and ran to their planes as they had done in the past few days of drills. Sweat beaded on the pilot's brows as the fact that this wasn't a drill sank into their minds. Four F-15J fighter jets stationed in the city of Nara took off to face the threat. They would be in range of Godzilla in less than ten minutes.  
  
  
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Godzilla stood in twenty-meter deep water as it ripped open the cargo ship like it was removing the lid of a giant Tupperware container. It took the cargo containers containing livestock and started gulping them down. The mighty creature heard the sound of the jets coming in to perform a bombing run. The lead pilot radioed headquarters. "I've got tone. Request permission to engage the target."  
  
The General was pleased. He was more than happy to show that Japan was not a weak country. Japan was more than able to defend itself. "Engage the enemy. Permission granted."  
  
"Thank you. All wings, on tone, fire." The lead jet launched two Type 93 Infrared guided missiles at the target.  
  
Godzilla saw the missiles approaching and didn't know what to do about it. It remembered that a warehouse sent flying objects at it and they stung. It ducked behind the ship and the two missiles struck the side of the cargo ship blasting large holes in the vessel.  
  
Godzilla had to get rid of these flying bugs. The other three jets lost tone and pulled out. One jet flew over the ship to report if Godzilla dove into the water. As it passed overhead, Godzilla sent a breath of blue radioactive fire at it knocking out an engine and send the craft into a spin. "Mayday! Mayday!" The pilot fought the controls and was able to control the craft enough to eject and have the plane impact harmlessly into the ocean.  
  
Godzilla picked up a cargo container and threw it at the three planes returning for another pass. The container didn't even come close to the planes. It flew by them and landed in a field leaving a large crater on impact.  
  
"I've got tone!" The second plane fired two missiles at the monster. Godzilla changed tactics. It breathed fire and caused the two missiles to explode prematurely. Godzilla stopped its attack and dove into the water to hide from another two missiles coming in. The breath attack heated the cargo vessel that the last two missiles locked on the heat source and changed course and impacted on the ship destroying the bridge.  
  
The lead pilot got on the radio to base. "Base, we have negative impact on target. Target has a missile defense."  
  
The General heard the radio report. "What sort of defense?"  
  
"Sir, the target can uh... Breathe fire like a dragon."  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"I repeat. Target can breathe fire that is effective against missiles."  
  
He pondered a tactic. "Fire everything you have to overwhelm the thing."  
  
"Target has disappeared." The pilots flew over the ship and saw no trace of the giant beast. "Coming around for another pass."  
  
The General exchanged worried glances with the radio operator. "How can you lose something that big?"  
  
"We've completed another pass sir. No sign of target."  
  
"Damn! Have them stay in the area for another fifteen minutes and report to me if they find that thing!" The General threw down his teacup and stormed off to his office. He was not happy to report to headquarters on how they lost sight of a giant lizard.  
  
Godzilla was under the water's surface quickly swimming out to sea. It knew staying around would be harmful to its health. It had to think about how to deal with these flying mosquitoes in the future.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from replacing your computer's CPU with Folger's coffee crystals. Hmm... I wonder if you'll notice.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 3, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	8. Gone fishing

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 8 Gone fishing  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me install a Microsoft product.  
  
  
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Nodoka was beside herself from what she heard on the receiver. She hung up the phone and went to Kasumi to give her the good news. "The escrow closed today! I'll have the money for my property tomorrow."  
  
Kasumi stopped at the back door holding an empty laundry basket. "It did? That's wonderful."   
  
"The buyer said the property was perfect and paid in cash! I can now look for a place with my son and daughter-in-law." Nodoka gleefully ran out the front door. She was going to start hunting for an apartment immediately.  
  
Kasumi was very happy for Nodoka. Ranma's mother was finally going to spend a lot of time with her son. Kasumi watched Mrs. Saotome leave the front game. She smiled and went out to the backyard to bring in the laundry.  
  
Nabiki arrived at the Tendo house shortly thereafter. She had a splitting headache courtesy of Sailor Sun's teleportation magic. She stumbled into the foyer and made it to the living room couch before she threw herself down on the cushions. Kasumi heard her sister come in. "Hello Nabiki."  
  
"UGH." Nabiki was still recovering from her little trip via Sailor Sun express. "Not so loud big sister."  
  
Kasumi peeked out from the laundry she was taking down for the evening. "Are you alright?"  
  
Nabiki groaned. "I don't feel good."  
  
Kasumi put the shirt she was holding down into the laundry basket. She went to her sister's side. "Can I get you something?"  
  
"Just make the pretty colors go away." Nabiki rubbed her forehead.  
  
Kasumi deduced that this wasn't a normal headache. "When did your headache start?"  
  
"About two hours ago." Nabiki slowly sat up and paused as more pretty colors danced before her eyes.  
  
"Oh, should I call Dr. Tofu?"  
  
"I doubt he's ever seen this type of headache." The colors merged and flowed taunting Nabiki with more dazzling fireworks in her mind.  
  
Kasumi was worried. "What type of headache is it?"  
  
Nabiki didn't want to admit the truth. She had to admit it though. Maybe her sister might know how to deal with this headache since Nabiki was convinced her sister knew something about the Senshi. "Sis, I got teleported."  
  
Kasumi was really worried. "Teleported? How?"  
  
Nabiki sighed. "I'm sorry Kasumi. I should have listened to you. A Sailor Senshi left me on the top of Tokyo Tower."  
  
Kasumi stood behind her seated sister. "You didn't do something to the Senshi did you?"  
  
Nabiki was embarrassed to admit the truth. "I just snapped their picture." She raised her voice. "They didn't have to beam me across town. OUCH!" Kasumi rubbed Nabiki's temples and gave a gentle massage to relieve her headache.  
  
Kasumi slowly shook her head. "You know that the Senshi value their privacy."  
  
"Yeah. I guess. It's just that the red headed one... Uh... Sailor Sun I believe. I don't think she likes me at all. She gave me a really strange look and then grabbed me and then POOF! I was across town."  
  
Kasumi burst out a laugh and then went quiet. She was happy that her sister didn't get abandoned on the Moon.  
  
"What's so funny?" Nabiki relaxed as Kasumi massaged her shoulders and sent waves of pleasure down her neck.  
  
"Oh nothing." Kasumi gave a knowing smile. She kneaded a pressure point she read about in one of Dr. Tofu's medical journals.  
  
Nabiki let Kasumi's massage take effect. It made the headache go away. "Sis, how did you know this would get rid of my headache?"  
  
"Lucky guess."  
  
Nabiki was frustrated. She hated being kept in the dark. The massage felt good. For now, she didn't care. She was in paradise. She didn't want to interrupt the massage with any more questions. What questions? Ahhh... That felt good...  
  
  
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It was the late evening that Friday. A well-dressed Japanese man walked down the dock in the port of Okinawa. He was of medium build, tall for a Japanese man and wore sunglasses. He approached a group of Frenchmen working on a large high tech speedboat. The lead Frenchman saw the Japanese man approach and jumped from the boat onto the dock. They stopped only two meters from each other and stood there silently for a moment.  
  
The Japanese man held out his hand for a handshake and spoke in fluent French. "Hello sir, my name is Tanaka and I represent the local insurance company. I understand that you provide insurance as well."  
  
Philippe knew what this was all about. The man was from the Japanese Intelligence Agency. "That's correct." He handed Tanaka a business card.  
  
Tanaka read the card. He grew stern and was blunt. "My firm has an exclusive contract to provide local insurance coverage. I don't think we are in any need of competition."  
  
"Well, we are expanding into new markets. You never know when someone's needs may change."  
  
"I agree. However I've found that sometimes the coverage may not be necessary." He glanced at the boat. "Your two insurance packages may not be suitable for the local area."  
  
Philippe loved the spy banter. "Yes, not every package we offer fits every customer's needs. We are currently offering coverage in international waters."  
  
Tanaka gently nodded. "As long as the coverage is in international waters and doesn't extend to our local franchise, we can use it. It's a shame that our firm doesn't offer similar protection." He turned to leave. "Make sure that your insurance packages stay in international waters. Good day Philippe Roache, and tell the Worm Guy good day as well."  
  
Philippe was angry. He knew their cover had been blown. He was going to have an inquiry started in France when he got back as to how the Japanese found out about the bombs. He got onto the boat. "Men, we are going to have to set sail shortly. We've been asked by Japan to leave the area."  
  
Paul, the lead commando, was preparing for the worst. "Is the mission scrubbed?"  
  
"No. We've been given permission to continue in international waters. Where's Nick?"  
  
Paul pointed his thumb to the main cabin. "He's inside. Godzilla was just sighted and he's figuring out where it will appear next."  
  
"Good. Prepare the ship for launch." Philippe felt the side of the two-man helicopter sitting on the back of the boat. "We've only got one shot at this."  
  
Philippe went into the cabin and saw Nick pouring over a large map of southern Japan. Nick shouted, "I got it!"  
  
Philippe spoke in English. "You have the location?"  
  
"Yes." He pointed to a circle on the map. "Godzilla attacks a town to feed. It then swims out to deep water when he stays until the fish supply runs out and then he swims back to shore. Here." He shows some lines connecting the islands and spots where the water was very deep. "It's a typical migration path for a creature looking for a new hunting ground."  
  
"Why now? Why didn't this thing show up earlier?"  
  
"It probably took it this long to grow to its current size. As it gets larger, it needs more food. It's simply hungry."  
  
Philippe thought about their last encounter with Godzilla. "What if it's pregnant?"  
  
"Then we had better take it out before it lays those eggs." Nick felt bad. There was no other way to deal with the problem.  
  
Philippe nodded. He went above deck. "Paul, we have the location where the creature will be. We need to drop sonar buoys in a grid pattern and wait for our guest to arrive."  
  
Paul turned to his men. "Let's move out!"  
  
  
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It was after business hours and Ukyou was in the alley by her restaurant practicing with her new battle spatula. She was at one with her new weapon. It felt so right in her hand. It was an extension of her body and she flowed with the grace of a dancer and she spun her arms and finished her display of skill. Konatsu stood off to the side in awe at the beauty Ukyou possessed.   
  
Ukyou attached her spatula onto her back. She focused her ki and pulled out her katana. She used a modified culinary martial arts kata with her new blade. As a chef, she was very skilled in the use of blade weapons. A katana was another blade with special needs as far as Ukyou was concerned. She moved through her motions slowly at first. Focusing her energy on the presence of the blade. She spun it around her head and held it aloft.  
  
She approached an empty crate that Konatsu had placed a cabbage on. She closed her eyes and gave a few quick strokes with the sword. The cabbage fell apart in ten even slices like the petals of a flower. She opened her eyes and tapped the top of the crate with the tip of the blade and the top half of the crate slid off at a thirty degree angle onto the ground.  
  
Ukyou examined the gray metal blade. There was no trace of wood or cabbage on it at all. Ukyou sheathed her weapon and picked up the cabbage slices. She'll grate them later for Okonomiyaki batter. Practice was over for the evening.  
  
  
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It was a Saturday morning at the Tokyo zoo. The curator shuffled some papers around and saw everything seemed to check out. "I see your credentials are in order." He was amazed that the girl sitting across from him wanted to dye her hair pink. Pink hair was very a unusual color for a biologist. "I'll have my assistant escort you around to the exhibits you need." He buzzed the intercom. "Can you have Hiroshi come into my office?"  
  
The voice box cackled and replied with a lot of static. "Yes sir."  
  
"Someday we'll get that replaced. Now Miss Tsukino, what research are you performing?"  
  
Usa Tsukino sat across the zoo curator in a smart business suit and looked like a woman of twenty-five years of age. She had used her moon disguise pen to pass as a biologist. "Actually, I'm here for historical research."  
  
"Historical research?"  
  
"Yes, I'm studying the history of certain animal species and need to get some blood samples for comparison to earlier creatures. I'm doing a thesis on DNA evolution and genetic changes over time."  
  
The curator smiled. He hoped that this paper would generate some interest in the zoo to keep the politicians from cutting their budget again. "Please make sure our facilities are mentioned favorably in your paper." His assistant entered the room. "Hiroshi, please escort Miss Tsukino around wherever she needs to go."  
  
Usa stood up and gave a bow. She walked out the door with a cathead shaped balloon following her. She had a list of animals she needed to pay a visit too.  
  
  
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A speedboat glided on the water off the southern coast of Japan. Every few minutes, a small object was tossed into the water. Paul checked his map. "That's the last of them."  
  
Maurice turned the boat and sped to the center of the sonar buoy grid. If Godzilla were traveling eastward, they would find it. They didn't wait long.  
  
PING! Francis was monitoring the sonar grid. "I've got something."  
  
Paul viewed the console. "Location?"  
  
"Seven kilometers south by southeast."  
  
Paul was pleased. "Looks like we get to go home soon. Maurice, make our heading south by southeast."  
  
Maurice turned the boat and they went at full speed. Paul briefed the men. "Mission time will begin shortly. Once we get to the location, Victor and Albert will chum the water with the cow carcasses and the barrels of fish. Francis will confirm that our contact is indeed Godzilla. We can't afford to destroy someone's submarine."  
  
He turned to Alain, "Prepare the packages. Once it's deployed we will rendezvous at this location. We'll confirm the kill." He pointed to a location on the map of Japan near Tokyo. "Either way, we leave after this mission is over."  
  
"Why Tokyo?"  
  
"We have a jet waiting for us there. It will take us back to France." He pointed to Nick. "He can settle for Japan Air Lines."  
  
Nick groaned. "Gee, thanks guys."  
  
They felt the boat slowing. Maurice called out. "We've traveled seven kilometers."  
  
Francis checked the display. "It's moving in an erratic pattern. This is not a sub. I'm pretty sure this is the target." He sent out a ping from the boat and read the results. "Yes, I'm certain I've found the creature. Let's bait the water."  
  
Paul called out. "You heard the man. Chum the water."  
  
Victor and Albert ran to the front of the boat. Lashed to it were a dozen large steel barrels. They used a crowbar to pop the lid off of one and the smell of fish overwhelmed them. "Phew!" Albert turned to his partner. "The things we do for the glory of France."  
  
Victor kicked the barrel and it fell into the sea. "I'm going to smell like this for weeks." They quickly threw the rest of the very smelly meat products into the ocean.  
  
Maurice saw they had completed their work and he moved the boat slowly away from the red splotch on the ocean's surface. The rest of the men were busy untying the helicopter from the makeshift landing pad. Alain extracted the two pill shaped bombs from his metal suitcase and placed them into a canvas bag he tied to the inside of the helicopter. He wasn't taking any chances with a rough ride accidentally making him drop these things.  
  
Paul went through the checklist for take off. Alain strapped himself in. Paul called out. "Am I clear?"  
  
Victor checked the landing struts and gave thumbs up. Paul started the engine and in moments the helicopter took off. Maurice gunned the engine of the boat and it sped away northward. He needed to get as much distance as he could from ground zero.  
  
Alain had a display of the sonar buoys information. It was not as good as the one on the boat but is was good enough to aim a ten-kiloton nuke with. He saw that the target was going to surface. He eyed the one-kiloton nuke and held his hand on top of it.  
  
Down below, the water started churning. There was a feeding frenzy going on but it wasn't Godzilla. Dozens of sharks were dining on the buffet set out for them. Alain called it in. "Home base. I think it's not going to work. Looks like the local sea life is taking the bait."  
  
Philippe slammed his first on the bridge console. "So close."  
  
Francis had more bad news. "I've got two radar contacts approaching from the north."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"From the looks of it." He adjusted the signal. "Two ships are approaching the target area. They don't seem to see us."  
  
"Crap! Maurice, turn to intercept them."  
  
Maurice changed course.  
  
Paul held the helicopter steady at five hundred meters above the drop zone. Alain kept his eyes on the console. "It's coming up. No wait. It's holding steady at a depth of two hundred fifty meters." He reached into the bag and pulled out the ten-kiloton device. It was very heavy. He had to use both hands to hold it. He unscrewed the lid and inserted the key. He armed the device. "Home base. We're deploying." He set the timer to two minutes; quickly screwed the ticking time bomb tightly shut and tossed it out the open hatch.  
  
Alain shouted at the top of his lungs. "MOVE IT!"  
  
Paul hit the engine and shot the helicopter skyward and away from the blast zone.  
  
The white pill shaped bomb hit the water and sank quickly.  
  
Francis shouted from his console. "They've deployed! Everyone take cover!"  
  
Maurice got the signal and changed course again to Tokyo. He thought about the other vessels. "It sucks to be them."   
  
Alain held his watch and counted down the seconds. He radioed the boat. "You've got one hundred five seconds to get the hell out!"  
  
Maurice strapped himself into the pilot's chair. "Signal received." He shouted to everyone else. "Strap yourselves down NOW!"  
  
Nick fumbled for a seat belt on the couch around the meeting table. He settled for diving under the table and assuming a crash position. Philippe grabbed a seat cushion and threw it on Nick to attempt to cover him while he tightened his own belt.  
  
Alain called again. "Sixty seconds to detonation."  
  
Maurice was sweating. "Which package was delivered?"  
  
"Gamma."  
  
Maurice swore under his breath. He kept the boat straight and steady at full speed. He wasn't thrilled to be outrunning a nuclear bomb in a speedboat.  
  
Paul gained altitude and lost a little speed. He strained the engine of the tiny copter.  
  
Alain looked at his watch. "Thirty seconds." He looked at the sonar console. "Target is moving."  
  
Paul kept focused of the helicopter controls. "Where?"  
  
"It's moving slowly northward. It's still in range of the bomb."  
  
Paul grinned. "Good."  
  
Alain hit the transmit button. "Ten seconds. Brace for the shock wave." Alain covered his head. Paul lowered his visor.  
  
Paul silently counted down. "Five... Four... Three..."  
  
Maurice counted down. "Two... One..."  
  
The ocean at ground zero rose up in a giant plume of white steam. Water rose out of the sea into the sky. The detonation was too deep for the mushroom cloud to form but the giant dome of water created a tidal wave that radiated in all directions. A massive cloud of white vapor covered the entire area.  
  
Paul counted under his breath. "Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen..."  
  
The air shifted and the helicopter felt the concussion wave. It was gentle and easy to ride. Paul breathed a sigh of relief. "Looks like we rode it out."  
  
Alain lifted his head and saw the dots on his monitor were blank. "The buoys aren't working. They must have been knocked out."  
  
Maurice kept the boat at top speed. The boat shook as a pressure wave went by. He only had to do minor corrections to keep the boat on track. "That was not so bad." He locked the controls and looked out the window to see behind the boat. He saw that white cloud rising into the sky. He smiled and went back to the controls and set it back to manual. "Danger is over. Francis, what do you have?"  
  
"Some of the buoys are out. I'm getting signals everywhere. There are massive amounts of debris down there. It's going to take some time before everything sorts itself out."  
  
Philippe undid his straps. "Francis, keep checking. I want to make sure it's dead. Victor, Albert, we'll go and get the pad ready for landing." He ran out on deck.  
  
Nick peeked out of from under table. "Is it over?"  
  
Francis stared at his console. "I think so."  
  
  
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It was an hour before sunset. A speedboat was moored at a pier in Tokyo bay. Most of the men had already left for the airport. Philippe, Alain and Nick stayed behind to watch the boat and helicopter. Alain was waiting for a secure vehicle to arrive before they took the last package off the boat while Nick and Philippe listened to radio broadcasts to see if there were any new Godzilla sightings. They were not taking any chances. Japan had already issued a cover story to take away the heat from the French.  
  
Philippe went topside to smoke a cigarette. His near death experience gave him an excuse to forget about cancer and enjoy a puff. He saw a flash appear near the end of the dock and a red headed girl in a red mini-skirt ran off. "I should ask to be assigned investigate her." He gave a lecherous grin and quickly ignored her. Japan had made it quite clear in the spy circles that the Senshi were to be left alone. Philippe thought the Senshi were just too weird.  
  
  
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Ranko arrived at work and started waiting on the dinner crowd. Everyone was talking about the explosion at sea and some undersea volcano explosion might have killed Godzilla.   
  
Ranko pulled out her communicator and called Ami. "You heard the news? It sounds like that big lizard died in a volcano?"  
  
Ami was checking her little computer. "You sure? I detected some sort of a tremor but it wasn't volcanic."  
  
"Well that's what's on the news. Gotta go. I've got to clock in." Ranko shut off her communicator and shoved it in her kimono. She clocked in and read the specials of the day so she could be a good waitress. Ranko was starting to hate this job. She badly wanted a job that used her martial arts skills instead of being a cute girl selling raw fish.  
  
  
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Diana was waiting for Usa in her bedroom. Usa finally arrived. Diana was upset. "What took you so long?"  
  
"Diana, you know I hadn't seen a panda since the last time I was in the 21st century." Usa was back to her normal guise of a short skirt and light pink blouse. She held her time key necklace out and gazed at the simple beauty of it. She pushed it back inside her shirt and made sure it was out of sight.  
  
Diana wagged her tail and watched her friend. "You know what's happening tonight. You've got to get ready."  
  
Usa nodded. "I know Diana. I just wish I had more time."  
  
"Time is something we don't have an abundance of." Diana looked out the window at the night sky. "We wait for the signal. Until then, we just sit here." She gave a hostile stare at Usa. "You understand right?"  
  
Usa closed her eyes and began a kata. "I understand."  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Since I can't go anywhere, I'd better get myself ready and keep myself in shape." She began to execute some difficult martial arts moves.  
  
"I swear Sailor Sun is a bad influence on you." Diana curled up and lay down.  
  
  
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The Tokyo harbor control was monitoring some sonar buoys they had activated when the Godzilla attacks had begun. They registered a reading. PING!  
  
The harbormaster ordered. "Nihon Oil vessel five. You are to hold position until the tugboats arrive to take you to pier fourteen." PING!  
  
"Huh?" He pushed his chair to the sonar console. He had a large contact. He wheeled back. "Nihon Oil vessel five. I told you to hold position."  
  
The ship's captain called back. "We are at a dead stop sir."  
  
The harbormaster scratched his head. "I've got you on sonar moving at twenty knots."  
  
"You must be mistaken. We are dropping anchor as we speak. We are currently... What the hell?" A loud roar was heard on the speaker.  
  
The harbormaster went cold. "Oh crap."  
  
  
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"Would you like Miso soup or a light salad with your meal?" Ranko batted her eyes to ensure a good tip. She froze as she felt her danger sense go off. She formed a drop of sweat. She barely heard the distant roar.  
  
"I'll have the soup." The gentleman ordered.  
  
"I'd like the salad but no dressing please." His wife ordered.  
  
Ranko wrote down the order. "Thank you. I'll be back shortly." She bowed and walked briskly to the kitchen and out of sight.  
  
  
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Nick ran out from below deck. "Was that what I thought it was?"  
  
Philippe was already holding a French FN-FAL assault rifle. He was grabbing clips and stuffing them into his coat pockets. "Alain, get the package." Alain ran to the hidden compartment inside. He turned to Nick. "How did it follow us?"  
  
Nick bit his nails. "It couldn't have seen us. Our motor's off so sound couldn't be it." He caught wind of the aroma wafting from the boat. The smell of fish from the bow was very pungent. "Oh no."  
  
Nick ran to the bow of the vessel. Three of the drums had the contents dumped into the sea but a lot of the fish goo was still on the bow. "Ah shit!" He ran back to Philippe. "It smells the boat. It followed us here by scent."  
  
Philippe rubbed his five o'clock shadow that had formed under his chin. "I guess we need to dunk ourselves in perfume. For now I'd say running is our best option."  
  
Alain popped out from below with a canvas bag around his neck. He picked up a rocket launcher. "Running is our only option." He pointed behind him as he ran down the dock.  
  
Nick and Philippe turned around and saw Godzilla walking in the water towards the boat. They both looked at each other and yelled. "I'M OUTTA HERE!" They ran for it.  
  
  
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Ranko was in the ladies room holding her scout communicator. "Ami, something is happening near Tokyo bay. Can you check it out?"  
  
Ami had a look of fright. "There's something big going on. The news is reporting that they are ordering an evacuation of Tokyo."  
  
"An evacuation?" An air raid siren went off. "Oh man."  
  
"Ranko, go find out what's going on. I'll call the other scouts to meet you there."  
  
"Right!" Ranko put her communicator back in her kimono. She fluffed her hair and went back to the restaurant.  
  
The place was in chaos. Everyone was running outside. THUMP! Ranko felt the ground shake. She ran to the window and saw something move behind a building next to the water. THUMP! She ran back to the restroom. "Sun Star Power! Make Up!"  
  
Sailor Sun ran outside to the rapidly clearing street. She saw two Frenchman run by. They caught her attention since one was carrying a canvas bag like it was filled with precious jewels and the second was holding a huge assault weapon. THUMP! She saw what they were running from.  
  
Godzilla stood over fifty meters in the air and was looking at a speedboat with a helicopter attached to it. The massive creature lifted its foot into the air and smashed the boat into tiny pieces. The ground shook from the impact. It gave a roar of triumph.  
  
Sailor Sun fell to the ground holding her ears. Sun fumbled around for her communicator and called Ami. "Mercury here."  
  
"I've sighted the monster."  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"Right outside my former job!" Ranko called out. She thought, "And I was making good money there too!"  
  
"What does it look like?"  
  
Sailor Sun saw the look on the creature's face. It was not happy. It's back was glowing blue. It was inhaling. "Mercury, it's green and pissed."  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and makes me stop putting your picture on milk cartons.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 5th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	9. Tokyo

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 9 Tokyo  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me pose for Nabiki's camera.  
  
  
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Nodoka was humming to herself as she briskly walked from the Tendo household to the train station. She checked the schedule and waited for the next train that would take her to Juuban. She had in her pocket of her kimono a list of potential apartments and small homes that would suit her needs. She couldn't wait to get to her son's apartment to tell him and his wife that her property in Nerima sold for much higher than she expected.  
  
She sat on the bench among a crowd of people. Some people were gathering around a wall mounted TV. They were murmuring amongst themselves as some sort of newscast went on the air. Nodoka ignored it since she had better things to think about. The train arrived and she hopped up from the bench like a little girl going to a toy store and slid onto a seat in the train. The train appeared to have fewer people on it than normal for this time of the evening. Nodoka didn't mind. She had a seat all to herself. She placed her katana on her lap and held it to scare off anyone who would disturb her happy thoughts.  
  
Her head was filled with joyous thoughts of spending a lot more time with her son.  
  
  
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The air base commander got the word he had been dreading. His subordinate gave him the news. "Sir, we have a confirmed sighting of Godzilla in Tokyo harbor."  
  
The commander got up from his desk. "Are you sure?"  
  
"We've confirmed from two sources. An oil tanker and this..." He turned on the TV in the commanders room. He turned the channel to a news station.  
  
"... the streets. There is widespread chaos as the creature is approaching the west side docks in the bay. This is Eye in the Sky for channel NNN24 reporting." The TV showed an arial view of Godzilla from the rear. The helicopter aimed its powerful light on the creature. The monster turned to face the camera. It inhaled and breathed a column of fire at the camera cutting off the picture.  
  
The officer turned to the commander. "Convinced?"  
  
He slammed his clenched fist on his desk nearly breaking the hardwood surface. "Scramble the fighters! I want this thing served up on my plate for breakfast!"  
  
"The Americans have offered to assist. I've got the commander of the Okinawa base on the line outside."  
  
"No, no. Tell him this is an internal matter." The base commander was a proud military man from a long line of brave Japanese warriors. He wanted to show the world that Japan could deal with the problem itself.  
  
The siren went off and four jet fighters took to the sky. All fighters were equipped with Type 80 radar guided missiles. The Americans had briefed the Japanese that infrared-guided weapons failed miserably in the New York Godzilla attack. The attack on Tano confirmed that Type 93 infrared guided missiles were useless. Interception would be in twenty minutes.  
  
  
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Sailor Sun stood in awe at the sight of the magnificent creature. It didn't seem possible for an animal of that magnitude to even be real. Godzilla took a step back from the end of the pier. It snarled at the debris in the water. It exhaled its fire breath and roasted the remains of the speedboat and half of the dock. Sun turned away and raised her arms to protect herself. The heat wave sent a wall of hot gases over the street that ran alongside the bay. People fell over from the burning wind. Sailor Sun barely was able to stand. Her Senshi powers of the sun allowed her to withstand the intense heat that came from the breath attack.  
  
Sun lowered her arms and saw the precision of the breath weapon. Only the tip of the dock and the immediate area around it was destroyed. The rest of the damage was limited to scattered small fires. There was no major structural damage in the adjoining buildings. There were several injured people on the ground. Sun ran to the nearest victim and patted out the fires on his clothes. She ran to three other people and put out the tiny patches of flame on their clothes as well. Sun looked up at the creature that appeared to be sniffing the air for something. Sun screamed to the crowd. "Everyone! Get away from the water!" She pointed away from the sea. "Run that way!"  
  
The remaining few people in the area ran away from the ocean. Sailor Sun started leading the crowd to safety as the mighty beast just stood there. Sun dragged some people out of the street and onto the sidewalk out of harms way. A police officer arrived and dragged away the last of the injured people from the middle of the street. He stood with the injured and tended their wounds. He pulled out his radio and called in for backup.  
  
Godzilla was examining the fragments that remained of the boat. Something caught its attention and it walked onto the street. Sun ran out of the way to prevent herself from being stepped on. The giant stood in front of the restaurant and looked around. Gusts of wind blew around the street as the massive head of the creature swished back and forth.  
  
Sailor Sun prepared a magic attack. "Searing Plasma..." Godzilla turned and quickly ran down the street in the same direction as the Frenchmen. It didn't seem possible for a creature of that size to move as fast as it was walking. Sun dropped her attack and ran to the middle of the road. "Hey! Get back here you coward!"  
  
Sun ran after the creature. She pulled out her communicator and dialed the alert code. "Everyone, that thing's approaching..." She took a good look at where the thing turned at a street corner. She jumped to the rooftops and saw the Tokyo Tower directly ahead. "Shiba Park. It's right next to Tokyo Tower."  
  
  
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Nick, Philippe and Alain ran at top speed towards the Tokyo Tower. They thought that would be the most likely area that the Japanese military would set up some sort of defense or command post. They didn't count on a giant lizard stalking them as they ran away from the boat.  
  
THUMP! Nick turned around and saw in the distance a very large and pissed creature slowly walking toward the intersection of the street they were on. THUMP! It stopped and started to sniff the air. It turned in their direction and started walking after them. THUMP! It was being careful not to step on any cars and pushed some of them aside to clear the road. THUMP! It got frustrated and started grabbing cars and threw them out of the way. THUMP! It gave the reptilian version of "I just don't care if it hurts my feet" look on its face and started crushing the cars as it stepped on them. THUMP!  
  
Nick examined himself for any clue as to why the creature was following him. He smelled his shirtsleeve. He realized what it was tracking. He looked around for a clothing store. He stopped in front of one and whistled to his teammates.  
  
Philippe turned to the noise from Nick. He glanced at the oncoming green freight train marching down the street in their direction. "WHAT THE HELL!?!?"  
  
"Ditch the clothes! They smell like the boat." Nick threw off his shirt and unbuckled his pants.  
  
Alain was in shock, a massive green iguana stomping down the street was not an everyday occurrence. He saw Nick performing his poor rendition of a strip-tease. "What the hell are you doing?"  
  
Nick fell on the sidewalk face first. He forgot to take off his shoes before removing his pants. "The fish smell is what it's tracking. We've got to throw off the scent." He kicked off his shoes.  
  
Alain and Philippe smelled their clothes. In seconds they dropped their equipment and undressed to their underwear. Nick ran into the clothing store first and grabbed a shirt and a pair of jeans off the rack. They were too big for him but he put them on anyways. He wasn't picky.  
  
Alain and Philippe ran to the rack with their size and got properly fitting clothes. They were French. They would rather die than be caught in a bad suit.  
  
Alain grabbed a large gym bag from a display in the sportswear section. He placed the nuclear charge in the new bag and left the canvas one on the floor. He ran to the front door. An angry shopkeeper yelled at him for stealing the clothes. Alain waved his rocket launcher and Philippe cocked his assault rifle which scared off the store owner. Nick stumbled out the door and the two Frenchmen followed him outside.  
  
The three men ran to their discarded clothing and Philippe grabbed his extra ammo clips from the coat on the ground. Alain picked up his extra round for his rocket launcher. The men saw six girls in mini-skirts standing in an intersection down the block making poses and shouting something at the creature. Nick was dumbfounded by what he saw. Philippe grabbed Nick and dragged him off. "We can sight see later." They ran toward the tower.  
  
  
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Usagi entered Usa's room. She saw her wrapping up her kata. She went over to Diana and petted the little pink cat. "Usa, where have you been going to every night?"  
  
Usa spun in place. She was trying to maintain balance on the tip of her shoe. "Out."  
  
Usagi stopped petting Diana. She sat on the bed. "Could you please be more specific Usa? I am your mother and I deserve to know where my daughter is."  
  
Usa stopped spinning and relaxed her muscles. "Mom, I can't really talk about it."  
  
Their communicators beeped. They both pulled out identical wristbands and got the message from Sailor Sun. Usagi and Usa reached for their broaches and transformed. Both girls made the exact same pose when they finished their light show. They both were pleased at how the other looked like and said together. "COOL!" Only the pink hair and her developed muscles made Neo Sailor Moon any different from her mother. Both Sailor Moons were in their Super Sailor Moon fukus with white skirts and extra jewelry in their hair.   
  
Sailor Moon commanded her daughter. "Let's get to Mercury's house! Just follow me!" They both jumped out the window of the bedroom and ran to Mercury's house.  
  
The Inner Senshi except Io and Sun arrived at Mercury's place within ten minutes. Mercury began the quick briefing. "Io is on her way to Sailor Sun's location. Sun said the monster is green, fifty meters tall and really pissed off."  
  
Jupiter groaned and got weak. "Did you say fifty METERS tall?" Venus and Moon wanted to faint.  
  
"Yes, this creature is massive. It's bigger than anything we've ever faced. It's right now somewhere near Sun's job on the bay." Mercury saw that Sailor Moon was pale from fright. She turned to Neo Sailor Moon. "Neo Moon, can you lead the teleport?"  
  
Sailor Moon recovered from her attempt at a fainting spell. "I'm the leader here! I lead the teleport!"  
  
Neo Sailor Moon crossed her arms and faced away from her mother. "Well I'm Sailor Moon too you know."  
  
Sailor Mars glowed red. "Stop this pointless bickering!" She pointed to Moon. "You lead the teleport." She pointed to Neo Sailor Moon. "You should lead the attack."  
  
Sailor Moon wanted to cry. "Who died and put you in charge?"  
  
Neo Moon and Mars each grabbed the crybaby's hands and grabbed Mercury and Venus in turn. Jupiter completed the circle. Mercury instructed, "Moon concentrate on the creature and take us to a place where we can intercept it."  
  
Sailor Moon closed her teary eyes and concentrated her magic. She focused her energy on Tokyo Bay. "Ok Mercury. I think I got it."  
  
Mercury concentrated as well to help guide Moon to a proper location. The two girls agreed in their minds on a street corner and they all disappeared and reappeared in an intersection swarming with people running for their lives. The Senshi fanned out and faced the monster.  
  
The girls immediately realized that this was a really, really bad idea. Godzilla was two hundred meters away and approaching fast. Sailor Moon took a step forward and made a pose. "I am Sailor Moon! I right wrongs and ugh..." Neo Sailor Moon grabbed her mother and ki jumped out of the way before a giant foot could smash them flat. Sailor Mars cast a "Fire Soul" at the reptile's leg and Jupiter cast "Supreme Thunder Dragon" on its tail. The monster kept going and walked past the Senshi.  
  
Sailor Sun had teleported next to the other girls. "Hey guys..." She fell to the ground sound asleep. The sun had already set and Sailor Sun hadn't bothered to notice.  
  
Godzilla was unfazed by the attacks. Its thick leathery skin deflected Jupiter's lightning and Mars' fire attack gave it an itch. The monster stopped in front of a clothing store and started sniffing the ground. The monster nudged its nose at the front door smashing the entrance and causing the facade of the building to fall down on the street. Godzilla reared its head and gave out a bellowing roar.  
  
Sailor Venus and Mercury stopped their magic attacks. The six standing Scouts fell to the ground covering their ears. Sailor Sun woke up and was in agonizing pain from the noise.  
  
Godzilla's spikes on its back glowed blue. It inhaled. Sun saw that there were people still scrambling out of the store. She cried out. "Oh no you don't! Searing Plasma Blast!" Sun threw a fireball right on Godzilla's face to distract it and the fireball exploded with tremendous force. The creature reeled from the impact and stood up on its hind legs with the tip of its snout over eighty meters in the air. It released its breath to the sky in a spectacular plume. Godzilla came crashing down on its claws, which shook the street. The quake knocked the Scouts back down to the ground.  
  
Sailor Sun prepared another attack. Mercury scanned the creature with her computer. "Sun..."  
  
"Searing Plasma Blast!" She threw another fireball at the monster. Godzilla moved aside and the magic fire missed it and flew into the sky harmlessly. Godzilla sniffed the air. It had Sun's scent.  
  
Mercury looked at Sun and then at Godzilla. It dawned on her what the beast was doing. "Sun, I'd beam out right now if I were you."  
  
Sun turned to Mercury. "This thing's a wimp. I handled things this big in Ryugenzawa with only martial arts." Godzilla gave out a mighty roar in Sun's face spewing out Godzilla spit all over her and causing her flaming red hair to flutter in the gale force wind. Godzilla took in a deep breath and raised a blue aura.  
  
Sun got wide eyed as the beast opened its maw and lunged at the senshi. "Eep." The other Scouts ran for cover. Sun concentrated her teleportation magic on the Tokyo Tower behind the creature. "Sun Beam Transport!" She disappeared just as the entire street was bathed in radioactive fire. The cars all over the street exploded and were blown away in all directions.  
  
Godzilla sniffed the ground to make sure that the tiny irritant was disposed of. It found no trace of Sailor Sun. It turned to the now empty clothing store. It took a step back to aim at the pile of clothes sitting out in front of the building to incinerate them. Godzilla breathed again obliterating the clothes, the store and the neighboring buildings.  
  
Godzilla lifted its front claws off the ground the smelled the air again. It turned to Tokyo Tower and tilted its head. It sniffed again.  
  
Mercury brushed herself off from all the ash that had landed on her. She scanned the wind and for the location of Sailor Sun. She found Sun's communicator signal on the top floor of the tower. The wind was blowing in from the direction of the tower. Godzilla had perfect wind conditions to find Sailor Sun. She cursed. "Sun you idiot. Next time, teleport downwind."  
  
Godzilla slowly walked to Shiba Park. It would cross the open area to get to the Tokyo Tower.  
  
  
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There was a large crowd of tourists on the observation deck of the Tokyo Tower. They were looking down at the battle going on in the distance down below. The people started to get worried when the monster showed that it had a breath weapon. The Tokyo Tower was tall, but Godzilla would have no problem knocking down the structure if it was so inclined.  
  
Sailor Sun beamed in. "Don't you..." She fell flat on her face and snored. "Zzz..."  
  
Some people crowded around the red haired Beautiful Sailor Suited Senshi. She muttered, "Dad, why did you take me there when you couldn't read Chinese? Zzz..."  
  
One of the tourists was using a pair of binoculars on the chaos beneath them. She was watching the creature approach. "That thing is coming this way!"  
  
There was a collective scream among the crowd as some of them ran to the elevator to escape. Other people ran to the emergency stairwell when it was obvious that the elevator was going to take too much time. Sailor Sun just snored.  
  
  
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Godzilla entered Shiba park just east of the tower. It caught a second familiar scent. It paused and glanced at the trees and plant life all around it. Nick, Philippe and Alain were hiding next to a blossoming cherry tree in hopes that the scent of the tree would throw off Godzilla. The plan had worked until the creature decided to enter the park they just happened to be hiding in.  
  
Philippe turned to Nick. "I still say that running would be nice."  
  
Nick had tied a cord around his waist to keep his pants from falling down. "Normally I'd agree with you. But right now, it's tracking us solely on scent. If it sees us and matches us up. We're toast."  
  
Alain checked his rocket launcher. "If it makes a move on us, I can distract it with this."  
  
Nick muttered. "As if that's going to do any good."  
  
Philippe held his rifle and checked the clips. He cocked his rifle and held it ready. "I've got the explosive tipped rounds. I can seriously piss it off with this." Philippe faced Nick. "I'll just tell the thing that you killed its mother. That should make it want you dead too."  
  
Nick wasn't laughing. "Funny."  
  
A tuxedo clad man stood in the shadows near the men. He watched over Sailor Moon.  
  
  
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The six Scouts entered the park from the east. The tower was on the northwest corner. Sailor Io ran up to the group and joined them. "Sorry I'm late." She looked around. "Where's Sun?"  
  
Mercury pointed to the tower. "She's up there. She's probably asleep since this was her second night teleport."  
  
Io was worried about her Senshi husband. Sun was helpless when she suffered from teleportation fatigue. "What's the plan?" Io turned to look at the creature. She wanted to run in the opposite direction as fast as her senshi legs could carry her.  
  
Mercury and the group stared at Sailor Moon. "Well?"  
  
Sailor Moon slicked back her ponytails. "I say we dust it!"  
  
Neo Sailor Moon rolled her eyes. "It's not a youma."  
  
"It isn't? What else could it be?"  
  
"It's an animal, plain and simple mom." Neo Sailor Moon tried to keep a calm attitude near her mother. It was painful sometimes to resist resorting to violence to knock some sense into the leader of the Senshi.  
  
Jupiter raised a fist. "I say we dust it anyways."  
  
They all shouted except for Neo Moon. "Right!" Neo Moon followed the plan anyway.  
  
Moon led her warriors closer to the beast as it was deciding to approach a cherry tree with some men hiding behind it or the Tokyo Tower. The girls took positions and heard the roar of a jet engine high above. Moon looked in the sky and saw four planes making an attack run. "Lovely."  
  
Jupiter shrugged. "I guess they want to have a crack at it."  
  
Venus started to run for cover. "Let them." Mars jumped behind a large rock. The others stared at each other and then scattered.  
  
  
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The lead pilot got a visual on Godzilla. "The target has stopped and I've got a good lock. It's in an open field. I've got a clear shot. Permission requested to engage."  
  
"Permission granted Alpha one. Engage the target."  
  
The pilot got a radar lock on Godzilla and launched two Type 80 radar guided missiles. They homed in on Godzilla.  
  
Godzilla spun to the sound of the rockets. It quickly glowed blue and breathed at the incoming missiles. They exploded in the intense heat. Godzilla spread its breath into the sky but the fighter jets were flying way too high for the attack to be effective.  
  
Godzilla dug its claws into the ground and started digging. Tons of earth went flying everywhere. Most of it landed on the Inner Senshi burying them under mounds of dirt.  
  
The lead pilot gave new orders. "This is Alpha one. I have a negative impact on the target. Alpha three and four approach from the north. Alpha two, follow me and approach from the south. We're going to have to hit it from two sides simultaneously."  
  
Alpha three and four veered off and flew to the north. The lead plane and his wingman turned south. They would try again to pummel Godzilla.  
  
  
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Sailor Mars popped out of the dirt and stared at the sky trying to follow the jets. "What are they up to?"  
  
Godzilla stared at the sky as well trying to figure out where the next attack would come from. It lowered its head back to the pit it had made and resumed digging.  
  
"World Shaking!" Sailor Uranus cast her attack at Godzilla's rump.   
  
"Deep Submerge!" Sailor Neptune hit Godzilla's dorsal fin. The two Outer Senshi just arrived and shot at the beast while it was distracted.  
  
The water attack bounced harmlessly off Godzilla's armor. The earth attack shook the creature and it stopped digging and peered out of the ground at its attackers.  
  
Sailor Uranus was amazed that her attack was almost useless. She prepared to attack again.  
  
Godzilla opened its mouth to breath at its new foes. Alain jumped from behind his tree since he had nothing to lose. He tree was in the line of fire near the two Outer Senshi and they would have been barbecued if the creature attacked. He shouted at the top of his lungs and fired at the creature's opening mouth. "Suck it down!"  
  
Godzilla swung its tail into the ground and a pile of dirt made a cloud of rocks that knocked the rocket off course and it exploded in mid-air. The spray pummeled Sailor Uranus and Neptune. The three men stood in a line behind the tree and only got minor injuries. Godzilla growled and hunkered down to jump and land on the insolent bugs that dared to harm it.  
  
  
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The northern pair of jets were ready. "Alpha one, this is Alpha three. We are in position."  
  
"Alpha three, this is Alpha one, we are in position. Begin your attack run."  
  
From the north and the south, the sounds of jet engines could be heard. They were performing a coordinated attack and launched four missiles from the north and two from the south at the target.  
  
Godzilla looked at the sky again and was about to breathe at the new group of incoming fire. It spun its massive head around and saw the other missiles coming from the other direction. It turned to the west and ran for it.  
  
Alpha one's pilot couldn't believe what he was seeing. The creature moved out of the park faster than the radar could track it. The missiles smashed into the park's lake, a grassy area and two buildings. The blasts shook the area and huge fireballs lit up the night sky. Flaming debris rained down all over the south and west sides of the park.  
  
The lead pilot swore into his helmet. He called his headquarters. "Base, we have a multiple negative impacts. I repeat, multiple negative impacts. Target remains and is traveling westbound. Please advise. Missile inventory is low."  
  
The park was getting difficult to see. Smoke from the missile impacts filled the air with thick black clouds obscuring the view.  
  
  
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Sailor Io covered her ears with her gloved hands to protect her hearing from the explosions around her. "I thought they were supposed to shoot at the monster!"  
  
Jupiter peeked from her hiding place. "Wow! I hope we don't get blamed for that."  
  
The rest of the Inner Senshi popped out of the ground like prairie dogs. They brushed themselves off and grouped around Neptune and Uranus. Moon asked, "Where's Saturn and Pluto?"  
  
Neptune and Uranus didn't stick around and they ran after Godzilla. They answered to Moon as they left, "We don't know." They jumped out of sight beyond a cloud of smoke.  
  
Mercury stared at Tokyo Tower. "At least they're not sleeping on the job."  
  
"And what's THAT supposed to mean?" Sailor Sun ran up to the group. "Sorry I'm late." Sun yawned.  
  
Io ran over and held her husband and hugged her. She brushed aside one of her red bangs. "How did you wake up?"  
  
Sun rolled her eyes as if she was being asked a stupid question. "Who could sleep though all that racket?"  
  
Moon called out, "Girls, let's get that thing!" She ran after Uranus and Neptune. The rest followed their princess.  
  
Sun moaned quietly. "Girls? I gotta remember I'm a girl right now." Sigh.  
  
Neptune and Uranus wanted to have another chance to hit Godzilla with their attack spells. They got to the edge of the park where a large smoke cloud was forming from a missile impact crater in the grass. Neptune called out to her love, "Do you see it? Where is it?"  
  
In response, the creature jumped through the smoke cloud and tried to land on the two Senshi. They barely jumped out of the way in time.  
  
Godzilla ran back into the park. It startled the group of Inner Senshi as it ran by them nearly killing Jupiter as its massive foot missed her by scant meters. It ducked back into the hole it made in the center of the park and started digging again.  
  
Sailor Moon made a pose. "Everyone, let's do it!"  
  
All the girls with Uranus and Neptune included, formed a straight line. They all cast their attacks as Godzilla kicked up piles of dirt in the air.  
  
Most of the attacks bounced harmlessly off Godzilla's hide. A lucky flying boulder intercepted Sun's Searing Plasma Blast. Only Io's Lava Blast and Mars Burning Mandala actually hit the creature. Godzilla dug faster and the body and then the tail quickly slid underground and out of attack range.  
  
The cave entrance collapsed on itself and the rumbling faded away.  
  
The girls stood at the ready. They slowly turned and viewed every corner of the park. Godzilla could have erupted from the ground anywhere and at any moment.  
  
Mercury was scanning the ground. "What in the world?"  
  
Moon stood next to Mercury. "What's the matter?"  
  
Mercury didn't want to believe the readings she was getting from her scanner in her computer. "I lost it. I can't believe I lost a fifty meter tall dinosaur."  
  
Mars was appalled. "You actually lost that thing!"  
  
Mercury turned to Sun. "I think it doesn't care about you anymore. It's not trying to hunt you down. It was too busy digging a hole to escape."  
  
Sun was miffed at that. "Doesn't care about me? Why I'll give it a reason to fear me!" She struck a heroic pose.  
  
Io yelled at Sun. "What's with you? Do you have a death wish?" She hooked her shoe around Sun's boot and tripped her. "And knock it off with that stupid posing. It makes me sick." She struck a pose. She didn't know why.  
  
Sun tripped Io and the raven haired girl fell on her butt. "Keep your defenses up." Sun hopped upright. She turned and saw the three men behind the tree trying to sneak off. "Hey! Stop!" Sun ran after the trio.  
  
The other girls wondered what Sun wanted with those men. They followed her. Sun had caught up to the mystery guests. She jumped directly in their path. "You were on that boat weren't you?"  
  
Philippe played dumb for a moment. He spoke in Japanese. "What boat?"  
  
"The one that the green thing barbecued. Why was it after you?" Sun was going to beat the answers out of these men. They had just endangered an entire city by bringing that thing here.  
  
Philippe saw that there was little use in lying. He didn't have to tell the entire truth. "We were fishing and got the chum on ourselves and the boat. There was an undersea explosion and we came here. I believe it thought that we tried to hurt it somehow."  
  
Mercury and Sun didn't buy the excuse completely. It sounded close to the truth but they didn't trust these suspicious people. Mercury recognized Philippe. "You're the guy I saw in Okinawa." Mercury grew cold. "What's going on here?"  
  
Nick Tatopoulos approached the girls. He spoke in English. "These men are with me." Philippe hoped that Nick wouldn't say something that would involve the French.  
  
Mercury turned to the stranger. She spoke in English as well. "Wait. Aren't you Nick Tatopoulos, the Godzilla expert?"  
  
Nick was overjoyed. There was someone who didn't call him by his hated nickname.  
  
Sailor Venus looked at him. She understood the conversation in English but spoke in Japanese. "Yeah, he's that Worm Guy isn't he?"  
  
All the girls nodded in agreement. Nick didn't understand what she said except the words 'Worm Guy'. He sighed. "We're here to study the creature. We got too close and it tracked us." He got defensive. "We had no idea that it would follow us here. Honest!"  
  
Jupiter stared at Philippe's rifle, she spoke in English as well. "And that's why you're armed to the teeth? Guns like that can probably be bought in every street corner in the U.S. They're a little hard to come by in Japan."  
  
"Look." Nick turned his head to the crater left by Godzilla's burrowing. "We've got a serious problem. Godzilla has the ability to burrow like a worm and minimize seismic waves. Once it finds a safe place to hide it can actually go into something like hibernation and it's almost undetectable."  
  
Mercury scanned the ground again. She came up empty. "How to we find it?"  
  
"It will come out soon. The only questions are where and when."   
  
Sun and Moon nodded. They didn't understand a word in English that was spoken.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from auditing your tax return.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 5th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	10. Running Amok

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 10 Running amok  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or deny me my daily ration of Diet Dr. Pepper.  
  
  
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Nodoka looked out of the window of the train she was riding in. She watched the lights of the buildings slip by and contemplated her decision to move from the Tendo's home to Juuban to be with her son. As each moment went by, she grew more and more convinced that she was doing the right thing. It meant that she would be leaving her husband Genma behind. Ranma had made it quite clear that Genma wasn't welcome on a permanent basis at Ranma's home since he was deathly afraid of what his father would do if he found out about his 'daughter's' alter ego. Nodoka felt that a taste of justice would be served if she had Ranma for ten years away from his father. It would be a fine retribution for what was done to her so many years ago.  
  
She fingered her cloth-covered katana. She drew comfort from the weapon. She had carried one with her since Genma left with Ranma and now she couldn't imagine not carrying one around. She only knew one martial arts technique if it could be called one, the downward swing required of the seppuku ritual. Otherwise, Nodoka was unskilled in the use of the sword.  
  
A familiar voice came from behind her, "Mrs. Saotome? Is that you?"  
  
Nodoka turned around and smiled at Ranma's former fiance Ukyou. She patted the seat next to her. "Hello Ukyou. Won't you please join me?"  
  
Ukyou stood there wearing her black leggings, purple chef's shirt and a spatula strapped to her back. A katana was hooked to the top of her leggings on the left side. "Don't mind if I do. I didn't expect to see you here."  
  
She slid next to Nodoka adjusting her spatula so it didn't tear into the seat cushion. The sharpness of the blade had already sliced her chair at her desk in half back at Furinkan High School. She didn't want to repeat that mistake again.  
  
Nodoka was happy to have someone she knew to be traveling with her. "It's nice to see you again. Are you going to Juuban?"  
  
Ukyou gave a weak smile. "Close. I'm going to Tokyo Bay. Is Juuban where you're going?"  
  
"Quite right." Nodoka started to happily glow. "I'm going to see my children."  
  
"Funny you should say that. I'm going to see Ranma tonight too."  
  
"You are? Oh how nice." Nodoka thought about the destination. "Oh, are you going to visit him at his place of work?"  
  
"Why yes. I just wanted to see how good she looks in a kimono." Ukyou snickered.  
  
Nodoka gave a knowing nod. She realized that her pronouns needed to be changed for Ranma's current form. "I think you already know what she looks like in one. She worked for you for a while if I recall."  
  
Ukyou wanted to make an excuse as to why she was really going to Tokyo Bay. "Well, I heard that she wears makeup and perfume now in female form. That's a big change for her."  
  
"Well if she is going to spend any time as a girl, she'd better do it right." Nodoka gave a look of a proud mother. "Ranko is very beautiful woman."  
  
Ukyou looked away. "Don't remind me." She didn't want to be reminded of Ranma's penchant for attracting either sex to her forms. She glanced at the almost empty train car. "It figures."  
  
"What figures?"  
  
Ukyou reflexively reached over her shoulder and felt her spatula. "Well with that thing running around in Tokyo Bay, I can see why no one's on this train."  
  
Nodoka got a little anxious. "What thing? What are you talking about?"  
  
Ukyou realized that Nodoka had no clue about what was going on in Tokyo Bay. "You mean to tell me you don't know?"  
  
Nodoka gripped her katana and sat up at attention. "Know what? Please enlighten me."  
  
"There's a giant monster running amok in Tokyo Bay." Ukyou was very concerned for Nodoka. Ukyou had dropped what she was doing back in Nerima when she heard about the monster and wanted to give assistance to fight off the creature. She had left Konatsu behind to close up the shop once the last customers left. Nodoka was oblivious to the danger she was going to.  
  
"A monster? Was it one of those youma things?" Nodoka knew that the Sailor Scouts dealt with those demons on a routine basis. She was deeply proud that Ranko and Akane were Senshi.  
  
Ukyou laughed. "Nope, this one's an American import. It even has a name... Uh... Godzilla. I think. It's about the size of a building and breathes fire."  
  
"Fire? Oh... Uh... I think I should see Ranko after she defeats this thing then." Nodoka became sad. She was hoping to see her 'daughter' tonight.  
  
"Well, I'm on my way to give 'em a hand." Ukyou lost a little confidence. She had gone on her own and Ranma didn't call her for assistance. She really didn't know why she hopped a train to Juuban. She just felt that she was needed. Her danger sense told her to get to Tokyo Bay pronto.  
  
Nodoka had a mother's insight. It came from years of practice. She touched Ukyou's chin. Ukyou retreated a little. Nodoka looked into Ukyou's eyes. "Tell me. You still love him don't you?"  
  
Ukyou turned her head away from Nodoka and shriveled up. She tensed up her body and shivered for only a moment. She softened her position and gently spoke, "Ranma..." She let her voice trail off.  
  
Nodoka had seen it in Ukyou's face. She saw the small glimmer of hope that Ukyou still had a place in Ranma's heart. Nodoka turned back to the window and held her head low. "I'm sorry if I'd upset you."  
  
Ukyou sat in the seat properly. She placed her hands on her knees. "Ranma is my friend." She still wanted to scream her angst but she knew she had to be strong. "He's happy with Akane and I'm happy for the both of them." Ukyou thought quietly, "There, I said it."  
  
Nodoka turned away from the window and back to Ukyou. "He does care about you. As do I."  
  
Ukyou faced the floor. "I know he does... I know... UGH!" Ukyou was thrown out of her seat as the brakes of the train were suddenly engaged.  
  
Nodoka grabbed onto the windowsill to keep herself from flying forward into an open area of the train car. The train was slowing down but not hard enough to cause a crash. Ukyou grabbed onto a vertical steel pole to prevent herself from sliding towards the front of the car.  
  
A resounding crash was heard. An instant later the car lurched forward as the mass smashed into the car ahead. A section in the middle buckled as the front of the car jumped the tracks and moved leftward. The lights flickered and the entire car bounced up lifting the girls from their places and dropping them suddenly. The car finally stopped but the sound of impacts came from the rear as the other cars jumped the tracks as well. The air was filled with screams from the other two passengers from the rear of the car.  
  
Ukyou jumped to her feet. Sparks shot out of the overhead light panels and the section they were riding in went dark. "Mrs. Saotome, are you hurt?"  
  
Nodoka had slumped over. She had hit her head on the wall of the train. Ukyou gently moved Nodoka away from the window and lay her down on the seat. She stood up and examined the situation they were in. They just survived a train wreck. Ukyou went over to the double doors and tried to pry them open with her hands. They wouldn't budge. She pulled out her spatula to cut the doors open when all the windows shattered from a loud roar that came from everywhere.  
  
Ukyou dropped her spatula and held her ears and bent her knees trying to keep the overwhelming nausea from taking over her body. The volume of the roar made Ukyou feel that her entire being was going to pop like a water balloon. The roar stopped and the echo of it remained as it resounded across the city. "What was that?" She yelled.  
  
She didn't have time to react. The car lifted in the air on the front side for four meters. The ripping of metal was heard and the car fell back to the ground. She could hear a scream coming from the front of the train. The scream wasn't normal. It was coming from above the train. Ukyou grabbed her spatula and ran to the front of the car. The door fell off the door frame the moment she touched it and Ukyou saw a horrible sight.  
  
Godzilla was holding the front car like a straw and was putting the front of it in its mouth. It took a bite of the train and quickly spit out the piece it bit off. It looked into the opening of the rail car and shook it as if it was trying to get the contents to fall out. Ukyou whispered. "Dear god..."  
  
  
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Alain was making notes on a piece of scrap paper. He made a 3d chart and drew circles and points in odd patterns. "I don't understand!" He snapped his pencil in half.  
  
Philippe stood by his comrade. He replied in French. "What's the matter?"  
  
Alain had a look of utter frustration. "I could have sworn that the bomb should have killed it. It detonated only five hundred meters away. There should have been no way that thing could have survived."  
  
Philippe was pondering something. "Are you sure about that range?"  
  
"I dropped the bomb when it was only one hundred meters from the target zone. It started to swim away slowly but it couldn't have possibly been more than five hundred meters away from the explosion." He scratched his head. He waved at the mound of dirt that covered Godzilla's exit route. "The creature didn't have a scratch on it."  
  
Philippe nodded his head. "When Nick is done talking with those girls, I'll see if he has any ideas on this." Philippe was worried. A creature that was immune to nuclear weapons would be a very hard thing to kill.  
  
  
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Not so Chibi Sailor Moon joined the conversation with Nick Tatopoulos and Sailor Mercury. Neo Moon reached into her subspace pocket and pulled out an object that looked like a tricorder from Star Trek. She spoke into the device. "Unlock code 2-2-1-3-4-2". The device beeped and came to life with little flashing lights and a small color display showing a background picture of Sailor Pluto in a battle pose. She held it to her face. "Record mode on."  
  
She lowered her tricorder and faced Nick. Neo Moon asked Nick. "Have you found out how this creature can be this large and not collapse from its own weight?"  
  
Nick was surprised at the type of question he was being asked. He was pleased to be on a topic he was an expert in. "The bones are formed in a lattice. They are very lightweight and yet the structure makes them able to support far more weight than a normal bone. The material that makes up the bones also has a slight give to it to prevent shock fractures from hard impacts."  
  
Neo Moon took mental notes and checked if her recorder got the information. "And the breath attack? How is that accomplished?"   
  
"Quite frankly, I don't know. It defies the laws of biomechanical physics." He shrugged. "We're still studying the body of the first Godzilla to figure out how it threw fire." Nick turned to the burning clothing store down the street. "This creature seems to have a different breath weapon. The first only breathed fire. This one appears to have some sort of energy based breath attack. I'm going to be studying this for years to come."  
  
Neo Moon nodded. "I'm sure you will. How many eggs did the first Godzilla lay?"  
  
Nick shivered at the thought of the interior of Madison Square Garden in New York and the resulting battle with the mass of baby Godzillas. "There were over two hundred eggs. We didn't get an exact count since we blew up the nest shortly after we found it."  
  
The conversation caught Philippe's attention. He started to listen to it intently.  
  
Neo Moon gave a look of expectation. "Do you think this one is going to lay eggs?"  
  
Nick started thinking about the creature and its mannerisms. "It's possible. This one looked to be asexual like the first. It's smaller but not by much so it might not have matured." Nick contemplated the recent attacks. "It's also possible that its about to lay eggs now and that was why it developed a bigger appetite."  
  
"How fast can it travel underground?"  
  
"I don't know that either. I can say that it can probably travel very fast in the earth. In New York, it made a series of tunnels in only a few hours. They're still filling in those tunnels today."  
  
Neo Moon smiled and bowed. "Thank you very much. It was an honor to meet you." She held out her hand to shake his. Nick shook Neo Moon's hand. Mercury was staring at Neo Moon's tricorder. It had some similarities to her Mercury computer but was far more advanced technologically. Mercury wanted Neo Moon's computer to replace her now seemingly obsolete palmtop.  
  
Nick looked at both girls. "I have to ask. What's with the get up?"  
  
Sailor Neo Moon stood like the champion of love and justice that she was. She spoke in English using the Senshi's English name. "We're the Sailor Scouts!"  
  
Nick blinked. He desperately needed a strong drink, something one hundred proof or higher.   
  
Philippe grabbed Nick and pulled him away before he asked any more questions from the Senshi. He pulled him to Alain and told him, "On matters of the Sailor Senshi, don't ask. It's a Japanese thing. You wouldn't understand." Nick looked over his shoulder and had to agree. Girls that shot bolts of magical energy were something that wasn't exactly normal.  
  
Philippe got Alain and Nick into a huddle. Alain produced his chart. "Nick, is Godzilla immune to explosions?"  
  
Nick shook his head. "No, in fact explosives are very effective against it. The air strikes in New York took it down quickly."  
  
"I need you to think about this. How did it survive an undersea nuclear blast at a range of five hundred meters? It was a ten kiloton bomb for god's sake." Alain pointed at the chart and had a dot showing Godzilla's location relative to the bomb. They were pretty close together.  
  
Nick took the chart. He studied it. "I don't know. Even if it somehow could resist the heat at that range, the shock wave should have shattered every bone in its body."  
  
Philippe picked at his attempt at growing a beard. "Is this a new mutation? Are we dealing with another completely different beast?"  
  
Nick tapped the paper in thought. "One way to find out. Let's go to a hardware store and get some measuring tape. I'm going to take some measurements."  
  
  
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Sailor Mercury and Sailor Neo Moon were looking at the depression in the park left behind by Godzilla when it dug into the ground to make its escape. Mercury scanned the ground again. "Chibi Moon, could you use your computer to scan this."  
  
Neo Moon shut her computer closed. "I can't do that. I can only use my computer for specific things and that's it." She tossed her computer into her subspace pocket.  
  
Mercury snarled. "You mean I have to wait nine hundred years to get one of those?"  
  
"I'm afraid so." Neo Moon smiled her annoying smile.  
  
"And I assume you can't give me a clue as to where this thing is now could you?"  
  
Neo Moon looked at her wrist communicator. She read the time. "Give it about a minute or so."  
  
"That's not funny and you know it." Mercury called out to the rest of the Senshi. "Hey! Everyone! Over here!"  
  
In moments all the Senshi were gathered around Sailor Mercury. Neo Moon kept looking at her watch. Mercury's computer beeped an alarm. She typed a few keys and got the message. "My computer just intercepted a police transmission northwest of here. Our friend is walking towards a train station."  
  
Mercury counted ten Senshi around her. "Sailor Moon!"  
  
Two girls answered. "Yes?"  
  
"Each of you, lead a Sailor Teleport. Jupiter, Venus, Mars and I will go with Moon. The rest goes with Miss know-it-all over there."  
  
Neo Moon stuck her tongue out just like Sailor Sun liked to do a lot.  
  
The Inners made a circle. Mercury helped focus Moon on the target and they disappeared.  
  
Sailors Uranus, Neptune, Io, Sun and Neo Moon formed a circle. Sailor Sun was a little nervous. "I've never done one of these at night before. What do I do?"  
  
Neo Moon calmed her future teacher down. "It's easy, just give me your power and I focus the teleportation spell. Poof! We're there!"  
  
Sun turned to Sailor Io. "Honey, wake me when it's over."  
  
Io shot a glance at Sun before closing her eyes to pass her power to Neo Moon. "Wimp."  
  
"Tomboy."  
  
"Pervert."  
  
"Uncute."  
  
Neo Moon raised her voice. "Shut up and focus you two." She muttered, "You two hadn't changed a bit." She concentrated and then felt a massive rush of energy that nearly overwhelmed her senses. Neo Moon forgot that the Sailor Sun of this time still had some problems controlling her powers. She fought back the rushing tide of magic and thought about her mother's location. She homed in on her and the five Scouts teleported.  
  
Nick Tatopoulos's jaw dropped again as he saw the second group of Senshi disappear. "You do know, that what I just saw defies every law of physics that I know."  
  
Philippe grabbed Nick by the oversized shirt he wore and dragged him off to a hardware store. "It's best that you don't think about that."  
  
  
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Sailor Moon and the Inners appeared near a train station just as the giant creature was biting off the end of a train car. The Scouts looked around and saw the beast lifting the car up. Venus screamed, "It's going to eat those people!" She jumped up to the elevated tracks and ran under the rail car.  
  
A girl with a purple coat appeared in the window of the train. She had a man in her arms and yelled to the golden haired Senshi. "Here! Catch!" She threw the man out of the window and Sailor Venus jumped up to catch him. She ran off to a fire truck that had just arrived and parked several blocks away.  
  
The girl ran back into the car as the monster lifted the train car into the air to try to swallow the contents. Sailor Mercury shouted, "Shabon Spray!" A cloud of mist enshrouded Godzilla's face and confused the creature for a moment. It lowered the train car as it tried to figure out why it couldn't see anymore.  
  
Moon called out, "We've got to get those people out of there!" The Senshi jumped up and ran on the elevated tracks. Jupiter and Mercury leapt onto the train car in Godzilla's grip and entered through a broken window on the side. Moon and Mars ran to the crumpled train car on the ground.  
  
Mercury turned on her visor to get a clear look inside. She could see perfectly through her magical fog with it. She saw there were only two people left in the train and the purple jacketed girl jumped out the back door with a female passenger in her arms. Mercury nudged her companion. "They just fell out! Follow me!" Mercury and Jupiter ran to the back door and both Senshi fell to the tracks below.  
  
They saw the purple shirt-wearing girl standing there holding an unconscious women in her arms. She handed the girl to Sailor Jupiter. Ukyou told her, "Take her to safety. You, come with me." Ukyou ran back to the second train car.  
  
Jupiter and Mercury shot confused looks at each other. Jupiter ran off after Venus and Mercury followed Ukyou.  
  
Sailor Mars had Nodoka in her arms. Ukyou commanded, "Take her to safety. She's Sun's mother."  
  
Sailor Moon nodded, "We know. Now, you get out of here."  
  
"Why?" Ukyou asked. She looked up at the roof toward the front of the train and leapt away from the front of the rail car. "DUCK!"  
  
The car shook as a massive crash of collapsing metal reverberated all around them. Godzilla dropped the first car and it landed on the first six meters of the second car crushing it like an aluminum can.  
  
Moon and Mercury barely jumped out of the way before the roof caved in on them. Ukyou pulled Mars and Nodoka to safety over the seat that blocked their escape route. Ukyou ran to the double doors and sliced it open with her spatula. "This way!" She jumped out.  
  
The other three Scouts didn't argue. They jumped out with Nodoka in Mars' arms as Godzilla grabbed the second car and lifted it into the air. The four girls ran and jumped off the bridge to the waiting fire truck. Moon and Mercury slowed down and watched Godzilla try to eat a second train car. Mercury activated her visor. She scanned the beast. "It's healed its wounds!"  
  
Moon turned to Mercury. "WHAT! That thing can rejuvenate?"  
  
"It seems bigger too." Mercury felt a little sick at the thought that it may have eaten some people. "We have to kill it now!"  
  
Moon stared at Mercury like she needed a good swift kick in the head. "No kidding!" Moon's gaze was distracted by a flash of light from the far side of the railroad bridge. The other five scouts beamed behind the monster. They scattered and formed a battle line.  
  
Moon called out. "Everyone! On my mark!" Mercury and Venus stood next to Moon. Jupiter and Mars dropped off their passengers and were on their way back. Ukyou stood off to the side in awe. Sailor Moon saw the other Scouts begin their spells. "Now!"   
  
All ten Scouts fired their attacks. Five Senshi hit from the rear and other five hit from the front. Godzilla was bathed in a massive light show and it dropped the train car in surprise. It screamed in pain and spun around to spread out the attacks around its body. The massive tail smashed three large buildings and impacted a support for the train bridge. The bridge buckled and the weakened section collapsed kicking up a large concrete dust cloud. Godzilla went down on all fours and ran down the street at high speed. It almost crushed Sailor Uranus as it ran past her. The five Scouts with Neo Moon ran after Godzilla. Sailor Moon held back her Inner Scouts. "Girls, let's teleport ahead of it."  
  
Sailor Mars was proud of Moon. She was actually thinking things through.  
  
Sailor Moon was happy. She came up with a plan that didn't involve her running across town and tuckering her out. She was just being lazy. The five Inners formed the circle and Ukyou jumped in.   
  
Mars and Jupiter looked at Ukyou and didn't have the heart to toss her out of the circle. Moon didn't notice Ukyou was part of the circle. She beamed the six of them ahead of the beast.  
  
  
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The lead pilot was circling the squadron of planes around Shiba Park. They were awaiting their recall order to return to base. The base called them, "Alpha one, travel northwest of your position. Target has been spotted at a train station."  
  
"Roger. We're on our way." The four planes turned and traveled toward the battle.  
  
  
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Sailor Neo Moon led the five Senshi down an almost deserted street. Most people had gotten the word of the giant monster attack but some people didn't care or didn't bother to take precautions. The monster was smashing cars and injuring people as it barreled down the street. The five girls were no match for Godzilla's speed. The monster was easily outrunning them. Neo Moon grimaced and reached into subspace. She pulled out a high tech weapon. She cocked it and an electric sound came from it. She slung it over her shoulder and then jumped to the rooftops.  
  
  
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Sailor Moon and the Inners appeared in a street corner a kilometer ahead of the massive creature. Moon ordered her troops. "Ok form a line. We hit it when I give the word."  
  
They formed a line and watched the creature approach.  
  
  
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"Base, this is Alpha one. We have spotted the target. It's moving at high speed southbound. We are coming around for a pass behind it. Request permission to engage."  
  
"Alpha One, this is Base, fire at will."  
  
"Copy that. Alpha two, fire missiles on target." Alpha two got a radar lock on the creature. The pilot smiled. The monster wouldn't know what hit him. He released his two remaining missiles at the target. He kept his plane steady and armed his machine guns. He was flying very low and wanted to give the thing a surprise if it tried to breath the missiles down.  
  
  
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Sailor Neo Moon cursed under her breath. She brought her weapon to bear. Above her, two missiles whizzed by and impacted directly into Godzilla's back.  
  
Godzilla yelped in pain and fell down and slid on the concrete road. The street was torn up and debris went flying everywhere. The Inner scouts and Ukyou jumped out of the way to avoid several flying cars from crushing them. Ukyou had to pause to regain her stamina. The teleportation disoriented her and she fought against the dizziness it caused.  
  
Neo Moon picked up the pace. She ran faster knowing that she only had a minute to close the distance before the beast was to get up. She checked her weapon and pulled a lever on the side. A large needle sprang out and a group of five red lights came on. She held the weapon in front of her.  
  
The other four Scouts gave odd looks at Neo Moon and the weapon she was carrying. Neo Moon got to the fallen beast first and jabbed the needle into the monster's tail. She muttered to herself, "C'mon, c'mon..." The first red light changed to green.  
  
Godzilla's eye popped open. It started to get up. It lifted the front of its body but then fell back down in pain. The back of the creature had two smoking holes where the missiles hit their marks. The body of the great animal had other injuries caused by the Senshi's first strikes. It gave a pitiful growl. Neo Moon counted her lights. There were four green lights on her needle gun. "Any second now. C'mon..."  
  
Sailor Sun stood next to Neo Moon. "What are you doing?"  
  
The fifth light went green. Neo Moon pulled a lever and the needle retracted and she made the weapon disappear. She gave a look of death to Sailor Sun. "None of your business!"  
  
She ran away from the monster with a very weirded out Sun staring at the place where Neo Moon had her weapon impaled.  
  
Godzilla rose from the ground. Sun took the cue to get lost. The monster also was on its two feet again. Two more missiles impacted on the creatures back and it gave a terrible roar of agony.  
  
"Dead Scream." A ball of energy came from a nearby roof from Sailor Pluto. It hit Godzilla on the neck and it reached its claw to cover up the wound. It rolled over onto a four-story building crushing it and the beast lay on its back and whimpered.  
  
"Silence Glaive Surprise!" Sailor Saturn aimed her Glaive and shot a beam of energy at Godzilla's chest. The beast jumped out of the building and with all of its remaining life left it breathed at Sailor Saturn.  
  
Sailor Saturn was shocked that the beast was able to get up so quickly. She cut the power to the Glaive. "Silence Wall!" She raised a shield and Pluto jumped behind her for protection. The building they were standing on was bathed in an intense inferno of red flames. The Silence Wall held. The building did not. The two girls fell as the building under them disintegrated. Pluto and Saturn were badly burned as they fell below the force field and into the raging inferno.  
  
Sailor Moon screamed for the fallen friends. "NOOOOOO!" Sailor Uranus caught Pluto and Sailor Neptune grabbed Saturn. Neptune quickly created some water and doused both girls with the cool liquid to reduce their body temperature and stop the flames that encompassed them.  
  
Sailor Sun was furious at the harm caused to her fellow teammates. She sensed the area was empty of people. She shouted to the other Scouts. "Get back NOW!" She ran between Godzilla's feet as it barely stood above her ready to fall over at any moment. The creature was wavering and began to curl up. Sailor Io held her hands to her lips and made a silent prayer for her husband. Ukyou didn't know what Sun was about to do and saw the Senshi were diving for cover. She hid alongside Sailor Mars.  
  
"Die you giant piece of luggage!" Sailor Sun stood directly below Godzilla. "Solar flare!" Sailor Sun controlled her magic. At full power, a Solar Flare attack could wipe out a circle of eight hundred meters in diameter. Instead she kept the magic localized and made the kill zone only one hundred meters in diameter.  
  
A massive sphere of magical fire radiated from Sun's position. It expanded fifty meters from Sailor Sun's location and stopped growing. A plume of fire rose up into the night sky over eight hundred meters in the air marking the location of the death of Godzilla. The sphere emitted no heat, no shock wave, only a bright light of flame and the roaring sound of nuclear fire.  
  
A far distance away, Nodoka looked out of the window of her ambulance and saw the fireball's glow light up the city. Her own happy glow peaked and she was filled with pride. "She really is a man among men. A true warrior." Nodoka lay back down on her stretcher and rested. She would wait to tell her son the joyous news of her impending arrival to live with him.  
  
Suddenly, the fire winked out. Sailor Sun stood alone in a small circle of calm. She held her pose with her right arm in the air and the other held back at her side. She had her legs apart in a martial arts attack stance. She had a look of pure triumph on her face. She opened her eyes and saw that her friends were out of danger and looked upwards.  
  
Ukyou peered out from behind the Toyota Corolla she was hiding behind. She had no idea of the magnitude of Sailor Sun's power. Her jaw hit the floor as she witnessed the devastation.  
  
There was no trace of Godzilla. Only ash and melted steel poles remained in the area were Sailor Sun stood. She breathed a sigh of relief. She passed out.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from shaving your pets bald.  
  
Oh, by the way. This isn't over yet. Not by a long shot.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 5th, 2003  
========================================  
burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
======================================== 


	11. Reality Check

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 11 Reality check  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or dip me in taco sauce.  
  
  
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Shampoo was cleaning off a table at the Cat Cafe. "Come back soon!" She gave her usual happy smile to the customers as they left. She picked up the dishes from the table, placed them on her tray and slid over to the kitchen.  
  
Mousse took the dishes and placed them in the sink. He was careful to keep his rubber-gloved hands away from the cold water he used to rinse off the dishes. "S-s-shampoo..." He watched his beloved as she ignored him and trotted out to the dining room. "Err..."  
  
Mousse was frustrated with himself again. He wanted to invite Shampoo out for a date to once again try to woo her. He couldn't get more than two seconds alone with her before she ran off somewhere away from him. He contemplated casting out a chain and tying her up so she would sit still long enough so he could ask her. Mousse saddened at the thought that Shampoo would probably catch his chain and do something horrible to him in retaliation. He sighed and lifted a dish from the soapy water. The dish shattered in his hands.  
  
Cologne heard the noise and recognized the bad omen. She hopped to the TV and turned it on. A newsreader was visible with a stock photo of Godzilla from the New York City attack shown on the right side of the screen. ".. is ordered for the additional areas of Shinagawa, Koto and Chiyoda. Please stay away from the Tokyo Bay area until this crisis has ended."  
  
Shampoo watched the broadcast with interest. A map with red circles showing the trouble spots came on. Shampoo ran close to the TV and pointed at the circle near Juuban. "That where Ranma live!" She threw down her apron and ran for the door.  
  
Cologne hopped to the doorway and watched Shampoo unlock her bike from the bike rack. "Shampoo, the Sailor Senshi will handle this. That's why they're there."  
  
Shampoo turned and smiled. "Shampoo know Ranma. Ranma always fight. Shampoo go fight with Ranma!" She rode off.  
  
Cologne slowly shook her head. She didn't bother to stop her. There was no use reasoning with the young girl in love. The old woman mumbled. "Shampoo, what am I going to do with you?" Cologne had respect for her granddaughter as the girl fearlessly rode off towards the trouble spot. She thought, "My little one is growing up. I'm going to let you make your own decisions for today. Let's see what happens." She pondered her wisdom as the purple haired girl rode out of sight.  
  
Mousse ran out the door after his beloved Shampoo. "Shampoo! Wait for me!" WHAM! He ran into a telephone pole and slid slowly to the ground.  
  
"TSK! TSK!" Cologne splashed Mousse with cold water and grabbed his long neck. She held the duck to her face as it uttered a pitiful quack. "Mousse, I'm going to have to show you the proper way to court an Amazon."  
  
Mousse gave a quizzical look. He dropped his head and went limp. "Quaaaaaaccckkk...."  
  
  
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The Alpha squad leader saw the bright orange flaming light coming from Godzilla's location. "Base, there is a large weapon being detonated at the monster's location. A city block is involved." The sphere of Sailor Sun's Solar Flare reached its peak. "Whoa! All planes evade target area NOW!"  
  
The planes split off in a standard break maneuver. The Solar Flare spell threw a plume of flame that moved randomly around the sky with the base firmly anchored at ground zero. The pilots didn't want to fly through that inferno and risk their aircraft to danger. In a moment, the flame vanished without a trace. A perfect circle was clearly visible from the air where a city block once stood. Godzilla was missing.  
  
"Base, target is gone. I repeat the target is gone."  
  
The base commander was standing next to the radio operator. He was handed a sheet that had a general memo that the Senshi were engaging the monster. "Describe the weapon."  
  
"It was a ball of orange energy with a giant flame that was about eight hundred meters tall. It's gone now. A glowing red circle on the ground is all I can see from the target."  
  
The commander nodded. The Senshi had done an attack like that in the past. He told the radio officer, "Call them home." He looked at his memo and the deployment orders. "The ground troops will handle it from here."  
  
The operator hit the transmit switch. "Alpha squadron, stand down. Return to base."  
  
The pilot had seen enough weirdness for the night. "Acknowledge. Returning to base." The jets lifted to cruising altitude and went home.  
  
  
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"Sun!" Sailor Io ran to her fallen husband. She skipped over the red-hot molten ground and knelt beside her dearest friend and companion. She cradled Sun in her arms. Sailor Sun was shallowly breathing. She was exhausted from the casting of her Solar Flare spell. Sailor Io shed a tear of happiness and held Sun close to her chest.  
  
Ukyou watched with a little envy at how lovely a couple those two Senshi made. She stood up from her hiding place and walked to the edge of the destruction. A light pole slowly bent over and fell to the ground. Half of the pole was inside the circle and it eventually collapsed from the damage.  
  
The perfect circle lay before Ukyou emitting a fading red glow as it cooled. The air smelled of charcoal and a sizzling sounds came from all directions. Ukyou took a few steps back away from it as the heat made her feel faint. "Ranma... How powerful are you?"  
  
"My baby!" Screamed Sailor Neptune as she cradled Sailor Saturn's scorched body. The little girl's hair was almost completely burned away and her uniform was in smoking tatters. Neptune wept as her little girl lay dying in her arms.  
  
Sailor Pluto wasn't doing any better. Uranus was trying to revive Sailor Pluto with CPR. Pluto was behind Saturn when they were hit with Godzilla's breath weapon so her burns were not nearly as severe as Saturn's.  
  
Sailor Moon and Neo Moon ran to their fallen friends. They held out their Moon scepters. Neo Moon faced her dearest friend Sailor Pluto. Sailor Moon aimed at the broken tiny body of Sailor Saturn. Both Senshi cast, "Moon Healing Activation!" A glow of pink energy came from their rods and engulfed Pluto and Saturn. Their skin reformed into normal and the burns faded away but their uniforms were still in pieces. The clothes barely covered their bodies.  
  
Neptune placed her weeping face in Saturn's chest. She stroked Saturn's newly re-grown hair and felt her breath again. Saturn coughed. Neptune shot up. "That's it my baby! Please wake up."  
  
Uranus patted Pluto's face to revive her. Pluto's eyes fluttered open. "I didn't order my steak well done." Uranus smiled. Pluto still had her sick sense of humor. Pluto smiled and fell unconscious again.  
  
Sailor Moon knelt by Saturn. She looked at Neptune's face. "She just needs some rest." She stood up. Moon's jewelry in her hair started to give her signals. She heard cries of help from people trapped in the rubble all over the city. She shot a glance at her daughter. Neo Moon was listening to the pleas as well. Moon softly spoke, "We have to help them." Neo Moon nodded in agreement as she heard the cries as well.  
  
Moon put her rod away in subspace. "Girls, we need to help get people out of the rubble. Let's get these two someplace safe so they can rest and heal."  
  
Mercury pointed out a nearby furniture store. "There are some beds in there. Someone can keep on eye on those two and Sun until we get back."  
  
Neo Moon turned around and saw Ukyou standing at the edge of the circle. "Why don't we have Ukyou keep an eye on them?"  
  
Neptune wasn't thrilled about leaving her daughter in the hands of a stranger. "Who's Ukyou?"  
  
Neo Moon reassured Neptune. "She's a good friend of Sailors Sun and Io. I'm certain that she can be trusted to take care of our friends."  
  
The green haired Senshi trusted Neo Moon. If Neo Moon was comfortable with Ukyou, then that was good enough for her. She lifted her daughter and followed Mercury to the store. The store was dark since the power was out for blocks around. Mars and Mercury pulled the covers from a large western style bed and Neptune placed Saturn down on the mattress. Uranus placed Pluto next to her.  
  
The pink haired girl ran up to Ukyou. "Hey! I need a favor from you."  
  
Ukyou fell out of her trance and looked over the tall white-skirted Senshi. "A favor from me? What could I do for you?"  
  
"The fight took a lot out of Sailors Pluto and Saturn. They need to rest and I'd like for you to watch over them for a few hours."  
  
"Sure thing sugar. Lead the way." Ukyou felt a rush of pride that the Senshi had asked her for assistance. Ukyou was led over to the bedside of Pluto and Saturn.  
  
Sailor Moon jumped over to Io. She was rocking her sleeping husband in her arms. "Io, we need you to help in the rescue efforts. Ukyou is going to watch over everyone until they can get back on their feet."  
  
Io raised a faint battle aura at the idea. She bit her lip. She thought, "Of all the people to watch over Sun, why did it have to be HER!" She smiled to Moon. "Why don't we try to wake her up now?"  
  
Moon examined Sun. She patted her cheek. "She's out like a light." Moon placed her gloved hand on Io's shoulder. "I need all of my Senshi to help in the rescue efforts. There are far too many people in trouble and we need everyone's assistance. Ukyou can take care of Sun and you know that. I need you. C'mon..."  
  
Sun shifted in Io's arms. She moaned. "I don't think she'll drag me off to Ucchan's." She went back to sleep. "Zzz..."  
  
Io stood up with Sun in her arms. "Who asked you?" Io faced Moon and nodded. "All right." She jumped out of the circle and bounced a few times on the hot ground before she made it over to the furniture store. She placed Sun on a futon near the bed occupied by the other Senshi. Ukyou sat nearby.  
  
Io placed a blanket on Sun. "Ukyou, I need you to watch over Sun until she wakes up. It shouldn't be long." Io reached over into Sun's subspace pocket and grabbed Sun's communicator. "Call me if there's any trouble. My number is one five one. Got it?"  
  
Ukyou fingered her katana. "I got it." She saw the other Senshi leave the room.  
  
Io called out. "Ukyou."  
  
Ukyou turned her head back to respond.  
  
Io smiled to her friend. "Thank you." She ran off to join the other Senshi.  
  
Ukyou smiled back. "You're welcome." Ukyou went to check on the pair of Senshi in the bed.  
  
Moon called all the Senshi toward her. "The monster is gone. We need to help get the survivors out of the wreckage. Neptune, Uranus, and Io, you three go back to the train station and help anyone you can find on the way there. Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and I will go back to Shiba Park and help there." She looked at Neo Moon. "I expect you to help Mercury in finding out everything about this creature." Sailor Moon was very suspicious of her daughter. Moon was worried by Neo Moon's demeanor that things weren't over yet. Neo Moon knew far too much of what was going to happen.  
  
Sailor Mercury lowered her visor and scanned the destruction. "Well the amount of ash is consistent with the mass of the creature. I'd say that Sun got him. The danger is over for now."  
  
Neo Moon gulped and looked away. "Yeah, it's over."  
  
Sailor Moon was angry with Neo Moon. She knew that yelling at her would be pointless. "Jupiter, Mars, and Venus let's go." The four girls ran off to Shiba Park.  
  
Neptune and Uranus looked at each other and ran back to the train station with Io in tow. Mercury crossed her arms and glared at Neo Moon. "Well? Is there anything you'd like to volunteer before we start looking for the exit tunnel?"  
  
Neo Moon lifted her open hand and gestured to the train station. "Let's start at the subway." Mercury nodded and the two ran back to the train station.  
  
  
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The Inner Senshi spent several hours using their Senshi senses to find people trapped in the rubble. Sailor Moon led rescuers to piles of debris or mangled cars with survivors of the attack.  
  
Sailor Venus was getting tired and wanted to take a five-minute break. "I'm bushed!"  
  
Moon and Mars glared at her. Moon shook a finger at her. "Tell that to someone under five tons of rock!"  
  
Venus was properly humiliated. "Ok." She focused her senses and ran over to a crushed storefront. "I think someone's in here." She cast Crescent Beam to clear away the rubble. Jupiter and Mars threw the rocks aside like foam rubber. In moments, they heard a cry from help from inside the building. Venus cut her spell and joined in the bucket brigade. They made an opening and pulled the four people trapped inside to safety.   
  
Moon didn't have time to lead her warriors in a cheer. She led them to the next building where they started a new rescue.  
  
  
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Ukyou checked on Sailor Pluto and Saturn again. She gazed at the tiny girl in the bed and wondered about how she ended up as a Senshi. Ukyou picked up the Silence Glaive from the floor as was amazed at how heavy the weapon was. "How in the world could she carry this thing?" Ukyou asked herself. She admired the workmanship of the pole arm and ran her fingers along its smooth surface. She gently placed it back on the carpet.   
  
A fire truck stopped a half block away. Men came out and stood alongside the cooling circle of nothing. Ukyou watched them and decided that they weren't going to bother her or her charges.  
  
Ukyou picked up a small chair and sat next to Sailor Sun. The chef thought about how she had always wanted for Ranma to spend some private time with her. She looked at the small red head and couldn't fathom how she was able to generate a fireball that could wipe out a city block. She contemplated the possibility that Sun was holding back her power in the attack. Ukyou shuddered at the thought of that attack being large enough to encompass a city.  
  
At this moment, Sailor Sun was as helpless as a baby. Ukyou placed the back of her hand on Sun's cheek. Sun shifted on her futon and turned over. "Kuno... I won't date with you..." Ukyou giggled at Sun dreaming about her most hated suitor. "Go away Tatewaki..."  
  
"Oh Ranma..." Ukyou stopped. She looked around for any witnesses and relaxed. "You're happy with Akane aren't you?" Sadness filled Ukyou's heart. "I..." She turned away. Years of angst and denial flooded her memories. She pushed them out of her mind and concentrated on better happier thoughts.  
  
"I'm happy for you." She couldn't face her. She wanted to be strong and accept bitter reality instead of a pleasant fantasy. A fantasy that would never come true and would lead to her eventual destruction. Ukyou had a new quest. She had a new dream. She had to drop her impossible fantasy and follow a dream that she could attain.  
  
Ukyou sat looking away from Sailor Sun. She buried her face in her hands. She sat for a moment and slowly spoke the horrible truth, "I love you Ranma. I always have." Ukyou sank in her chair. "I guess I waited too long to tell you that." Ukyou lifted her head to watch a police car drive by with sirens blaring. A tear formed in her eye. "I... I just wanted to hear you say that to me first. I... I just thought you'd say those words to me." She shuddered. She paused for a moment.  
  
"Ranma." Ukyou gently spun herself in her seat until she could see Sun's sleeping body on the futon. She moved her chair to be close to Sun's midsection. Ukyou gently took her hand and held it tight. "R-Ranma... Please be happy. I want you to be happy. I..." She sniffed. "I... Please be happy with Akane. I know she loves you too." Her tears started to flow quickly. "Please tell me... Tell me..." She desperately wanted to hear Ranma say the three magic words she had waited a lifetime for. Three words that she knew would never come from his lips to her ears in the manner she wanted them to be said.  
  
She couldn't bear to live a life without Ranma in it. She had accepted that he would never be hers. She could live with that. She couldn't live without his friendship. She needed that. She wanted that. "Please say you'll always be my friend."  
  
"Please..."  
  
"Be my friend..."  
  
She whispered. "I will always be your friend, and I'll always be there when you need me." She slowly put Sun's hand back down and placed it back on her stomach. Ukyou quietly sat for a minute. "Forever."  
  
Another voice spoke. "I know you will."  
  
Ukyou was startled. She cocked her head so fast that she nearly snapped her own neck in surprise.  
  
Sailor Pluto was awake but lying down in her bed. "She's your best friend."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Ukyou spoke through tears. "How would you know?"  
  
Sailor Pluto gave her knowing smile. "Trust me Ukyou, it's my business to know." She turned over and went back to sleep.  
  
"Huh? Have we met?" The chef had a bad feeling. That Sailor Senshi freaked her out.  
  
"Ucchan?" Came from a groggy Sailor Sun.  
  
Ukyou's forehead covered with sweat. "Yes?  
  
Sun gave a smile. She was in a state of half-sleep. "I'm your buddy. Can you make me the squid one... Zzz..."  
  
"Ranma? Ranma?" Ukyou tapped on Sun's forehead. She was asleep. Ukyou was panic stricken. Was Sun awake? Was she asleep? Ukyou hoped against all hope that Sun wouldn't remember the conversation. She felt a calming sensation of relief.   
  
Ukyou will always remember the answer she heard. Ranma was her buddy. It made her happy.  
  
  
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Mercury stood at the train station and scanned the area. "It came from this direction." She pointed to the east. She jumped down into the street and saw the wrecked cars making a trail that went for blocks.  
  
Neo Moon used her futuristic tricorder and scanned the area as well. "I agree. The creature came from the east."  
  
"Do you see where the exit tunnel is? I can't seem to find it." Mercury scanned the wreckage and it went for five hundred meters straight east. "The ground is perfectly stable. I can't find any signs of digging."  
  
"I'm getting nothing. The ground is normal here." The young Senshi shut her tricorder off.  
  
Mercury ran following the destruction. The two Senshi occasionally bumped into Io, Neptune and Uranus as they were digging people out of the wreckage. They continued on for over an hour stopping from time to time to scan and follow the trail.  
  
Mercury stopped and froze. Before her was Tokyo Bay. She turned around and saw the wrecked buildings went on an almost straight path to the train station. She looked at the bay and scanned the ground below the water's surface.  
  
What she found confirmed what she had a vague suspicion of. She turned to Neo Moon. "You knew about this didn't you?"  
  
Neo Moon sucked in her breath. She knew she was probably going to be yelled at later. "You know I can't tell you everything I know."  
  
"I've got to warn the others." She pulled out her communicator.  
  
  
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Nick showed his ID card to the Japanese soldier guarding Shiba Park. The guard allowed Nick and his two companions through. Philippe wore a French made FN-FAL rifle over his shoulder and got the three men stopped at every street corner by the Japanese police and military. The rifle was a meter and a half long, black and looked like any action hero would be proud to own one. Alain was happy no one had asked to look in his gym bag. He didn't want to explain why he was carrying a one-kiloton nuclear device. Thankfully, very few people would even recognize that the white pill shaped object as a bomb in the first place.  
  
Nick had gotten a pair of pants and a shirt that fit him. He wasn't happy the shirt had some meaningless English phrases on it. Philippe mentioned that shirts like that were popular in Japan. Nick sighed and dealt with it. It was better than wearing a shirt that was four sizes too large for him.  
  
The men trudged into the center of the park where some of Godzilla's cleanest footprints lay. Nick pulled out the measuring tape he just purchased from a nearby store. He was rather taken aback at how fast life returned to normal after such a catastrophic event that a giant monster would be. Philippe mentioned that in this part of town, there was once a war with beings called youma and the mini-skirted girls fought them. Nick wanted to return to New York City quickly. Tokyo Japan looked and sounded more like a Marvel comic book than a real city.  
  
Nick asked, "Alain, take the end of this tape and place it on the edge of the toe print." The bomb expert slung his gym bag over his shoulder and grabbed the tape measure. He placed it on the leftmost edge of the giant toe mark on the soft earth. Nick put his end on the rightmost edge of the footprint and made some notes on a small pad of paper.  
  
Nick picked up the tape. "Ok, now I want it on the tip of the middle toe." Alain walked to the middle toe print and placed the measure down. Nick went to the heel of the footprint and measured it. He showed a sign of distress as he made some calculations on the notepad. "Ah crap."  
  
Philippe peered over Nick's shoulder. "Now what?"  
  
"We're in really big trouble. Alain, come here." Nick turned the pages of his notebook that had scribbles of his visit to Okinawa and he flipped from those notes to the ones he just took down.  
  
The three men made a small quiet circle. Nick held his hand out. "I need your notes on the undersea explosion."  
  
Alain pulled out of his gym bag the crumpled paper. Nick examined it and handed it back. Nick slowly turned to the depression in the center of the park. "Philippe, have they found out how Godzilla ended up at the train station?"  
  
"What do you mean? It dug there, didn't it?" Philippe was loosening his collar from anxiety.  
  
"I hope so. Because according to these notes, our friend shrunk since the Okinawa attack."  
  
Philippe and Alain went pale. "Huh?" They both gasped and got nervous. The French agent slowly asked. "What does that mean?"  
  
Nick turned to look at the soft dirt. "That would mean..." He read his notes one more time. "We killed a Godzilla with the bomb." He turned to look at his comrades who were visibly sweating. "But there's more than one of them."  
  
Philippe lit a cigarette. He needed one. He took a puff and blew out the smoke from his lungs. "How many?"  
  
"There is at least one left." Nick pointed to the mound. "It's right over there. Nesting."  
  
The men groaned. They needed a plan and they needed it yesterday.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from selling your life story to the National Enquirer.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 5th, 2003  
========================================  
burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
======================================== 


	12. Awakening

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 12 Awakening  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me write pointless headers and footers.  
  
  
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Sailor Mercury dialed Sailor Moon's number on her communicator. "Moon, we've got a problem."  
  
Moon was exasperated. She was holding up a steel girder with Mars and Jupiter while Venus was digging out a crushed car. They had several firefighters around them helping out and an ambulance standing by to take the little girl to the hospital. "Grunt! This had better be good. Ugh!" The girder shifted and Venus darted under to help keep it off the car. The firemen inserted the Jaws of Life to pry the mangled door open.  
  
Sailor Moon tucked her communicator in her bra to hold it near her face while she placed both hands on the steel beam to steady it. "Ok, Mercury, what's the problem?"  
  
"We need to get to Shiba Park immediately. It seems that the monster that Sun killed was a second one."  
  
Moon's knees got weak and she nearly dropped her section of the beam. She mumbled weakly. "W-w-what?"  
  
"You heard me. The one that's in Shiba Park was not the one Sun killed. It was a second one."  
  
Mars spun her head around in disbelief. She spoke to Moon's chest so Mercury could hear her. "Oh you've got to be kidding me!"  
  
Some of the firefighters murmured among themselves. There were rumors of the Senshi being close to each other since Uranus and Neptune were very open about their relationship. One man clapped, as Mars got into what appeared to be a compromising position with Moon. Mars heard what the men said and glared at them. "Perverts!" She raised an aura of flame around her.  
  
The fireman's eyes became the size of saucers and he ducked away. The rest went back to the job at hand.  
  
Mercury continued, "I've just confirmed that the Godzilla that attacked the train came straight from Tokyo Bay and not from Shiba Park." Mercury checked her readings again. There were definitely footprints under the surface of the water coming to where she was standing. She already ruled out an underwater tunnel by a scan of the ground for five hundred meters in all directions from her location. She noticed Neo Moon was glancing at her watch. Mercury had learned that when Neo Moon did that something was going to happen and happen soon. "Moon, get your group to Shiba Park." She cut the channel.  
  
Neo Moon tried to look innocent. Mercury scowled at her and dialed Uranus's number. "Uranus here."  
  
"Uranus, I need your group to go to Shiba Park right now."  
  
"Ok, Io is busy right now, but Neptune and I can leave immediately."  
  
Mercury turned to face Neo Moon. She spoke into her communicator again, "Ok, get all three of you at the park immediately. We are going to dig out that thing and blow it away."  
  
"I copy. It'll take us about twenty minutes on the rooftops to get there. Uranus out."  
  
Mercury turned off her communicator. "Well 'Sailor Moon', I want EVERYTHING you can tell me about what's going on and I want it now! For starters, what's your REAL mission?"  
  
Neo Moon shook her pink hair and looked away from her teammate. She took a deep breath. "I can't tell you."  
  
"The hell you can't!" Mercury was beyond frustrated. Sweet Sailor Mercury never gets angry or upset unless her friends were in danger. "Pluto and Saturn nearly died because we didn't know that the creature was a new one and not already weakened. I don't want anyone else getting hurt."  
  
Neo Moon grimaced and shed a tear. "Please understand Mercury. I'm here for something else entirely." She wiped her tear away. "We're wasting time. We need to get to the park right now."  
  
Mercury moved to get a good look at Neo Moon's wristwatch. It was on a timer with nine minutes fourteen seconds on the face and counting down. "What happens in nine minutes?"  
  
"An event."  
  
"Should I be worried about that event?" Mercury softened on Neo Moon. She understood the reason why her friend had to be quiet. Time travel was a very dangerous job.  
  
The young Senshi slowly shook her head. "No, not really." She looked at her watch. "We have eight and a half minutes to get to Shiba Park." She waved to Mercury to follow. "I think we should go."  
  
Mercury nodded and the two leapt to the rooftops.  
  
  
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Sailor Io was stuck in the sewer tunnel. She created a small ball of lava in her hand to illuminate the passageway she was in. She found the person she was looking for. The sewer tunnel worker was in serious condition as a section of the ceiling fell on him as Godzilla walked on the street above. She checked his pulse and found that he was still alive. "I found him!"  
  
She ran back to the sewer tunnel that connected to the surface. "Send in a stretcher!" The fireman above signaled her and disappeared. Sailor Io went back to the worker and slowly removed the concrete off of his body and made him comfortable. "It's ok, they are coming for you right now."  
  
Her communicator beeped. "Io here."  
  
"Io, this is Uranus, when you get out of there, come to Shiba Park. Neptune and I are going there right now."  
  
"Shiba Park? Weren't we there a couple of hours ago?"  
  
"Yes. It's the park that's right next to Tokyo Tower. Mercury is calling everyone there."  
  
"Ok, I'll be out of here in a few minutes." She looked around. A firefighter just entered the sewer and raised his arms upward to lead the stretcher down. "Better make that at least five minutes."  
  
Io turned off her radio. She knelt down to the fallen man to keep him still. Io felt proud of herself. She had saved several people this evening. The super hero business had some benefits after all.  
  
  
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Paul and the other French commandos stood by the helicopter they were able to acquire. Victor and Maurice were putting explosive tipped rounds in several FN-FAL clips. Francis was checking the rifles and the rocket launcher. Paul's cell phone rang. He flipped it open. "It's about time you called Philippe."  
  
"Tell me you're ready."  
  
"We've been ready for twenty five minutes you lazy bum. Next time, don't keep us waiting." The other men snickered.  
  
Nick, Alain and Philippe were standing fifty meters from Godzilla's pit that it dug in Shiba Park. "We need immediate evacuation. We are currently at Shiba Park." Philippe took one more scan of the area. "What type of helicopter did you get?"  
  
Paul gave a knowing smile. Philippe guessed correctly that they got a chopper. "Civilian."  
  
"Civilian? What model?"  
  
"We've got a Huey so it can carry all of us. But this isn't America my friend. They have some very nasty gun control laws around here."  
  
"Huey? Civilian? Explain that?" Philippe was handed a cup of coffee by Alain.  
  
Paul watched Francis scream in frustration as he moaned about the lousy selection of munitions that he had. "The Huey had all of the gun mounts removed. It's strictly a freight helicopter."  
  
Philippe nodded. He took a drink of his coffee and promptly spit it out. He yelled at Alain. "This coffee is terrible!"  
  
Alain shrugged. "I got French Roast like you asked."  
  
Philippe groaned and tossed the cup to the ground. "Well, right now all we can do is leave. Pick us up and take us to the French Embassy."  
  
The commando leader gave a hand signal to his men alerting them that they are moving out. "See you in about twenty minutes or less."  
  
The French agent killed the call. "They will be here in twenty minutes or so." He pulled out a billfold and selected a business card. "Nick, I need to leave. You need to get in touch with this gentleman." He handed the card to Nick.  
  
Nick looked at the card. It read, "Nihon Exports. M. Tanaka, Purchasing." The card was in Japanese and English on one side, French and German on the other. "Who's this?"  
  
Philippe smiled. "He's going to be your new best friend." He handed him the cell phone. "Call him and tell him 'The policy has been renewed.' Then identify yourself and help him in any way you can." He lit another cigarette. "Please don't let him know about that the creature ended up here because it followed us. That would be... Ahem... Embarrassing."  
  
Nick understood all too well. He dialed the number. It went to voicemail. "Uh... Hello, this is Nick Tatopoulos and I need to tell you uh... The..."  
  
Philippe sighed and mouthed the code words.  
  
Nick spoke into the phone again, "The policy has been renewed. I'm here at Shiba Park and I have information about Godzilla. Call me on this number, it's uh..." Nick turned the phone over and the number was written on a piece of paper taped to the back. He recited the number and killed the call.  
  
Alain sat down on a bench. Nick joined him. Philippe remained standing enjoying his smoke. "Nick, how many eggs could have survived?"  
  
"After the Square Garden was destroyed, we searched the place and found a few intact shells in the player's locker room."  
  
The Frenchman gazed at the skyline, not looking at anything. "How many were there?"  
  
"Seven. Three never hatched and we extracted the bodies for study. The other four we assumed joined the other babies and were destroyed when the building exploded."  
  
Alain made some notes. "We blew one up and I heard that the Japanese nailed one northwest of here."  
  
Nick faced the depression. "I'm certain number three is really close by."  
  
Philippe threw his spent cigarette to the ground and stepped on it. "Where's number four?"  
  
No one had an answer. No one really wanted the answer. All three men stared at the depression in the park.  
  
  
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Sailors Moon, Mars, Venus and Jupiter stood at the north edge of Shiba Park. Moon hit her communicator. "Mercury, we're at the park. Where are you?"  
  
Mercury replied. "We're still about ten minutes away." She glanced at Neo Moon's watch. "Keep an eye out for anything strange happening in the next four minutes."  
  
Moon asked. "What's happening in four minutes?"  
  
Mercury frowned and glared at Neo Moon as they both leapt to the next rooftop. "Ask your daughter."  
  
Neo Moon kept facing forward and ignored Mercury. She sped up her run and Mercury followed.  
  
Moon turned to her Senshi. "That's weird. What's happening in four minutes?"  
  
Uranus and Neptune landed next to the Inners. Neptune brushed off the dirt from her dress. "Four minutes? What's going on?"  
  
Everyone gave each other blank looks. Moon didn't have a clue. "I dunno. Mercury will explain it when she gets here I guess."  
  
Mars tilted her head in realization. "Uh, Mercury won't be here until after the four minutes go by. I think we should get ready."  
  
Jupiter went into an attack stance. "Ready for what?"  
  
Mars waved the girls to the park. "I guess whatever it is, it's going to be over there. Mercury wouldn't have dragged us here for nothing."  
  
The six girls entered the park.  
  
  
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Nick's cell phone rang. He answered it. "Nick Tatopoulos."  
  
The voice on the other end was very businesslike. "This is Mr. Tanaka. I understand that you offer a policy?"  
  
"Uh... I'm a uh... an expert on Godzilla."  
  
"And?"  
  
Nick went for broke. "You have a Godzilla buried in Shiba Park. It's nesting and will probably lay about two hundred eggs. We need to send in an air strike and destroy the nest before the eggs get a chance to hatch."  
  
"I see." The voice paused. "What proof do you have that this is the case?"  
  
Nick was starting to get angry. "Look buster! I've had to deal with these things four years ago! I have a clue as to its life cycle. If you don't blow the hell out of Shiba Park right this instant, this city will be crawling with three meter tall dinosaurs that will be eating everything in sight."  
  
The voice was quiet. It waited for a few seconds before responding. "Nothing scares me anymore Mr. Tatopoulos. Japan has had worse events in the last few years. I'll take your advice under consideration." He paused a moment as a muffled sound was heard in Japanese. Mr. Tanaka came back on the line. "Where are you now?"  
  
"I'm at a bench near a fountain near the center of the park. I'm about forty or fifty meters from Godzilla's pit."  
  
"Are you wearing a Japanese tourist shirt?"  
  
Nick went cold. "Uh... How did you know?"  
  
"Because I'm about twenty meters from you to the south."  
  
Nick turned around and saw a man in a business suit and wearing sunglasses walking briskly toward him. Nick glanced for his companions and saw that they had vanished.  
  
Mr. Tanaka held out his hand. "My name is Mako Tanaka. I am pleased to meet you." He got very serious. "We have something to discuss don't we?"  
  
The Japanese agent caught something in the corner of his eye. Six Beautiful Sailor Suited Senshi ran up to the pit and gathered there. "Mr. Tatopoulos, could you come with me right now?" He pulled Nick away and quickly led him away from the crater.  
  
  
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Sailor Moon fell to her knees. "I'm tired from all this running and I've got class tomorrow." She fell forward and took a breather.  
  
"You've thought you've got problems?" Sailor Mars stammered out. "I've got a history test in about eight hours and I hadn't studied for it!"  
  
Sailor Venus plopped onto the grass and rested. "Anyone else didn't do their homework?" All the girls raised their hands. "I guess I've got company for detention after school."  
  
Jupiter sat down. "Do you think my teacher will excuse me if I told her I didn't do my homework because I was busy saving the world?"  
  
Uranus stood over Jupiter. "What do you look like? A Powerpuff girl?"  
  
"It works for them doesn't it?" The ground shook a little and went still. "What was that?"  
  
Moon stood up. The ground shifted again. "I don't know."  
  
"Don't worry Sailor Moon, I'm here to protect you." Tuxedo Mask came out of his hiding place and stood alongside Sailor Moon.  
  
Sailor Moon's eyes turned into hearts. "Oh Tuxedo Mask!"  
  
Mars muttered. "Oh brother." She didn't think it was the time or place for mushy stuff.  
  
The earth shook again and the dirt in the pit bulged up. It went back down.  
  
Jupiter looked at her watch. "Well, it's been four minutes." She hit her transmit button. "Mercury, something is happening here."  
  
Sailor Mercury and Neo Moon were five minutes away at their current speed. Neo Moon sprinted. Mercury strained to keep up the pace. "Jupiter, tell me what's going on."  
  
The Japanese military aimed spotlights from the buildings toward the pit. The mound was clearly visible and moving. Jupiter got a good look. "I think there's something here in the dirt."  
  
Mercury yelled into her mike. "It's Godzilla! Take it out!"  
  
"You've got to be joking!"  
  
Moon and Mars shook their heads. Jupiter went flush. Uranus and Neptune took attack stances. Jupiter stared at the sky. "Can we please nuke the site from orbit?"  
  
Moon pulled out her Moon wand. "Get ready girls."  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Paul looked at the city below. He dialed Alain's cell phone. Alain answered. "Yes?"  
  
"We are in sight of the park. Where shall we set down?"  
  
"Set down on the east side. There is a clear area in the grass and we'll have a flare set out to mark our location."  
  
"Roger. ETA in one minute."  
  
Philippe lit a flare and threw it on the grass. Two Japanese policemen saw it and approached the Frenchmen.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Mercury followed Neo Moon. The white-skirted Senshi reached into subspace and pulled out a high tech weapon. She jumped to the next building and as she ran across its roof, she cocked the weapon and an electric charging sound came from it.  
  
Mercury was impressed with the weapon. "Are you going to blast it with that?"  
  
"No, I'm going to save it." She pulled a lever on the side and a needle popped out. Five red lights activated on the side of the silver gun like object.  
  
"What is that thing?"  
  
Neo Moon ignored Mercury's question she jumped to a tall rooftop and was in sight of the park. "Good, I'm not too late." She jumped to a lower building and kept up the frantic pace. She changed direction and went towards the south.  
  
Mercury wasn't going to lose Neo Moon. She followed the armed Senshi. "Hey! Where are you going?"  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
The six Senshi formed an attack line at the rim of the crater. The military and police in the area gave ground. They knew that if the Senshi were going to attack something, lots of stuff was going to explode.  
  
Moon felt the earth move again. "Well? We're waiting!"  
  
A wind came from behind them. Uranus turned around. "Don't worry, it's just a helicopter."  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Paul flew above the east side of the park. He saw the flare and set down next to it. Philippe and Alain ran to the chopper and jumped in. Two policemen came to the helicopter and one asked. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Philippe answered in Japanese. "Getting the hell out of here." He buckled his seat belt and Paul lifted the craft into the air.  
  
The chopped raised ten meters into the air when the ground below it shot up spraying the entire area with mud and water from a broken water main. Godzilla's snout emerged and rapidly pulled itself out of the ground. The cascade of water and earth showered the Senshi from behind and buried them in mud.  
  
Paul gunned the engine and lifted the craft skyward as fast as it could climb. Alain was awestruck with the sheer size of the monster's mouth as it was only five meters below the aircraft.  
  
Godzilla lift itself using its arms and pulled the upper half of its body out of the ground. It shook its immense body to clear off the collected dirt like a dog would remove excess water from a bath. Windows and buildings took severe damage and tons of rocks went flying in all directions. The rescuers all took cover to avoid getting killed by the rock storm.  
  
Godzilla growled. It saw the helicopter flying away and it caught its interest. Godzilla pulled out of the hole and followed it leaving a trail of soil and debris in its wake.  
  
Alain spoke what everyone on the craft felt. "Oh shit. Is it still mad at us?"  
  
Philippe pointed to the east. "Take us to the bay. Let's lead this thing away from the city."  
  
Paul fought with the controls. His rapid climb and the extra weight were taxing the engine. He was losing altitude. He slowed down the forward motion to fly higher into the sky. He had to get out of range of the breath weapon and keep out of biting distance.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Godzilla walked down the street back to the bay. It turned its head from side to side as it watched the people scatter out of the way. It stopped to step over a fire truck.  
  
Neo Moon thrust her weapon in front of her and took a giant leap from the tenth floor rooftop she was on onto the side of one of Godzilla's massive spikes on its back. She stuck the needle in the armor plate and held on for dear life.  
  
Godzilla blinked it eyes and stopped walking. It moved its claw to scratch its back.  
  
Neo Moon cursed and pulled out the needle. She slid downward to avoid the claw. She slung her weapon over her shoulder and grabbed onto the rough leathery skin and climbed back up. She was almost back to the spikes when Godzilla shook its body spewing dirt chucks on the buildings lining the road. Neo Moon was slammed against the rough skin and almost lost her grip. She screamed and slid off. A gloved hand caught her and threw her upwards and between the giant spikes. Sailor Mercury split her legs between the center and side rows of spikes to tighten her position to keep her from being thrown off.  
  
Neo Moon hit the bony surface hard. Mercury took the gun from her friend and thrust it into a plate that she assumed wasn't too sensitive to an injection. "What do I need to do?"  
  
"Wait until the lights are green then pull the lever on the side." The young Senshi held onto the giant spike as Godzilla started to walk.  
  
Mercury counted the lights. Three were green. Four. Five. Mercury pulled the level and the needle retracted. Neo Moon took the gun back and shoved it into subspace.   
  
Mercury looked around. "You'd better come clean on what I just did."  
  
"I suggest we get off right now." Neo Moon contracted her body and did a flip to right herself. She grabbed Mercury and jumped off of the mighty beast's back onto a passing building.  
  
Neo Moon stopped where she landed and put Mercury down. She stood by the edge of the roof and gazed at the creature as it walked to the bay. "Mercury, let's get back to the park." The two hopped to the west.  
  
  
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In Shiba Park, six mounds of dirt moved and swayed. Six very filthy and angry Senshi popped out. Sailor Moon spit out some mud. "Look at me! How can I defend love and justice looking like this?"  
  
Sailor Mars wiped mud off of her face. "Can it meatball head. We've got bigger things to worry about."  
  
Sailor Venus jumped out of her earthen prison and fell face first into a gooey mound of mud covering the few remaining clean parts of her body with sludge. She looked like a female mud wrestler after an hour in the ring. "This will never come out of my hair!"  
  
Sailor Io ran over the to messy girls. She had just arrived from her trek across town. "What happened to you?"  
  
The girls stared at their newest teammate. They all threw mud balls at her.  
  
Tuxedo Mask emerged from behind the tree he had used for cover. His tuxedo was splotched with mud as well. "Looks aren't everything Sailor Moon."  
  
Sailor Io wondered if Tuxedo Mask and Tatewaki Kuno were related. She shuddered at the thought.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Paul was looking behind the helicopter and saw that the giant creature was slowing down. "I think it's giving up." He turned to check his flight path ahead and violently veered the craft to the right.  
  
Godzilla number four raised its head out of the water directly ahead. It gave a roar to announce its presence.  
  
Godzilla number two hunkered down and roared in reply. Windows for blocks shattered and people fell holding their ears.  
  
The two beasts faced each other and growled a mutual greeting.   
  
Victor cocked a FN-FAL rifle and aimed it at the beast in the water. "Orders sir?"  
  
Philippe commanded. "Fly along the shoreline. Prepare to set down."  
  
Paul wasn't took sure that was a great idea but he altered the helicopter's course back to the bay.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Ukyou was falling asleep in the furniture store. She thought she had heard a roar in the distance. It brought her alertness. She checked on the three sleeping Senshi and saw that they were fine. Ukyou felt that there wasn't any immediate danger. She walked around the dark store. Only the light of the moon gave any illumination. She noticed the emergency vehicles that were outside the store earlier were gone now. The street was empty and deserted. It gave her the creeps. She felt the handle of her battle spatula. It gave her comfort.  
  
  
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"Nihao honorable Senshi!" Shampoo waved at the seven muddy Senshi as she straddled her bike keeping a good distance from the fountain of cold water shooting up from the soft earth.  
  
Sailor Io rolled her eyes and quietly muttered. "Not Shampoo!"  
  
Shampoo bowed to the Senshi. "Please tell Shampoo where Ranma?"  
  
Io faced her. She resisted the urge to send her into orbit. "Who's Ranma?"  
  
"Ranma great fighter. Ranma good friend." She bent her body sideways to look around Io and ask the other girls who were wiping the mud off their bodies. "Do you know where Ranma?"  
  
Io gestured to the other Senshi to keep quiet. The girls crawled out of the gunk and stood in a little group completely looking like mud monsters instead of mini-skirted defenders of all that is good in the world.  
  
Shampoo took a good look at Sailor Io. Io only had a little mud on her from several mud balls thrown at her. Shampoo read her ki signature and thought it looked familiar. "Does Shampoo know you?"  
  
Io took a step back. "Nope, I don't think so."  
  
"Senshi sure?" Shampoo took a step closer. She could have sworn she had seen that ki signature before. She took a good look at the Senshi's face and couldn't recognize it at all. "Sorry. Shampoo thought you violent girl for moment."  
  
Some of the Senshi giggled. Io really wanted to slam Shampoo into next week. THUMP! The girls turned around. Godzilla was walking back to the park. THUMP! It was taking a leisurely pace.  
  
Sailor Moon realized her wand was missing. "Great!" She jumped into the mud and fumbled for her moon staff. THUMP! "Everyone! Get ready!" She felt her wand in the gooey brown stuff and pulled her golden staff out. "I hope it still works."  
  
The girls formed a battle line. They looked ridiculous. Neptune produced some water and washed most of the mud off of herself.  
  
Io turned to Shampoo. "I think you'd better leave before you get hurt." Shampoo was open mouthed as she looked skyward to see the top of the monster. She jumped on her bike and rode off to the north to avoid the incoming catastrophe.  
  
Moon shook her wand to knock most of the mud off. "I'm Sailor Moon! This park is for the enjoyment of the people of Tokyo. You should go back to where ever you came from. In the name of the Moon, we're going to punish you."  
  
Godzilla roared at the Senshi. A second Godzilla appeared next to it. It charged.  
  
Sailor Moon lost her confidence. She gulped. "Scatter!"  
  
All the Senshi jumped out of the way trailing wads of mud behind them. The monster noticed Sailor Mars and followed her. It snapped its jaws looking for a light snack to start the morning with.  
  
Mars ran for dear life. "Why is it picking on me?" She jumped onto a tree and leapt onto a tiny paddleboat in the lake.  
  
Godzilla smashed the tree flat and swung its giant tail into the water causing a huge wave. The boat and Sailor Mars went flying into the air smashing into the pavement twenty meters away. Mars was knocked out.  
  
Sailor Uranus got her bearings. "World Shaking!" A blast of energy hit the beast in the back. It swung around to face its attacker. Uranus was about to cast again when Jupiter grabbed her and pushed her out of the way as the second Godzilla fired its breath weapon and burned the area to a crisp.  
  
Sailor Io avoided a giant foot from smashing her. She made a stance. "Lava blast!" She sent a ball of hot lava in between the toes of the fourth monster and gave it a hot foot. It decided that Io had to go. It chased her. Io smiled and ran toward the second Godzilla and caused the two creatures to slam into one another.  
  
Both beasts recovered quickly and swung their tails wiping all tree life away. Shattered branches and playground equipment went in all directions. Io and Venus darted around the monsters feet to keep out of harms way.  
  
The two Godzilla picked Senshi at random and stomped the ground to squish them or bake them. The Senshi took pot shots but did little damage to the creatures. Every human being in the area had taken off to avoid getting killed or becoming Godzilla food.  
  
Mercury and Neo Moon arrived at the east side of the park. They saw the utter chaos before them. Mercury turned to Neo Moon. "I hope you've got a plan."  
  
Neo Moon smiled. "Follow me."  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me erasing your entire collection of Anime videos and soundtracks.  
  
In case you are keeping score...  
  
#1 was nuked in the ocean.  
#2 was buried in Shiba Park  
#3 was vaporized by Sailor Sun  
#4 just dropped by for a cup of tea  
#5 There is no number five.  
  
Bill Heineman  
December 23, 2002  
========================================  
burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
======================================== 


	13. The bigger they are

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 13 The bigger they are  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or take away my right to eat cheese.  
  
  
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Philippe was reading the names of buildings as they flew their Huey along the shore of Tokyo Bay. He had a good grasp on spoken Japanese but he strained at reading the Kanji on the signs. He found a building that caught his interest. "Set down there!"  
  
Paul saw the almost empty street below. He picked a landing spot in the middle of the highway and deftly avoided the power and phone lines that crisscrossed the area. He hovered for a moment to make sure no one on the ground would be stupid enough to approach the aircraft. He gently contacted the pavement and placed the vehicle in standby mode for a quick takeoff. Paul breathed a sigh of relief. He was going to demand hazard pay for this mission.  
  
Philippe unbuckled himself. "Men, we're going fishing." He jumped out of the chopper and ran to a nearby fish warehouse. The rest of the commandos ran after him.  
  
Paul had a really bad feeling about what Philippe had planned. He wanted to live until retirement.  
  
  
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Ukyou bolted upright at the distant roar. She stood at attention with her battle spatula at the ready. She slowly turned looking at the darkened fake bedroom in the furniture store and listened carefully for anything out of the ordinary. She spun around quickly and swung her spatula at the sound she heard to her left.   
  
She stopped her swing just centimeters from slamming her weapon on Sailor Sun's face. The Senshi's snore almost gave her a free ride into a nearby wall. Ukyou relaxed her stance. She shot a look at the front of the furniture store as she heard the sound of Sailor Senshi magic spells and more roaring coming from a distance.  
  
She knelt down to Sailor Sun and gently nudged her. "Wake up Ran-chan." She put down her spatula and softly patted the red head's cheeks.  
  
Sun mumbled, "Could you make me a squid okonomiyaki please? Zzz..."  
  
Ukyou got mad and frowned. "How could you think about food at a time like this you Jackass?" She violently shook Sailor Sun. "Wake up!"  
  
Sun shuddered and jumped out of the futon and took a defensive stance. "Akane! It wasn't my fault!" She looked at Ukyou and calmed down since the expected mallet strike wasn't forthcoming, "Oh, it's you." She lowered her arms. Ukyou and Sun suddenly took stances when the sound of a tree being smashed and also a loud splash was heard from far away.  
  
Ukyou turned to Sun. "Ran-chan, I think they need you. I'll see if I can get the others awake."  
  
Ukyou went to the bed that contained Pluto and Saturn. "Let's see how they're doing." She went over to Saturn and pulled the covers. Saturn still had some burn marks and looked like she was going to remain out of commission for a while. Ukyou shook her head and gently put the covers back on the little Senshi. "They're out of action. You go help the others. I'll stay here and watch them."  
  
Sun nodded and started to exit the store. She stopped and turned her head back. "Ucchan, please call me Sailor Sun when I look like this." She waved her gloved hands over her white leotard. "The disguise magic doesn't work if you call me by my real name." She faced forward and jumped out of the broken window frame and ran toward the fracas in the park.  
  
Ukyou waved at Sun's vanishing silhouette. "See you soon Ran... Sailor Sun." She held her spatula at the ready. She felt someone grab her hand. She looked down at the tiny Senshi and knelt down to comfort her.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Shouts of "Deep Submerge" and "Supreme Thunder Dragon" came from the park. Explosions followed, lots of explosions. Loud roars and stomping added to the happy fun the Senshi in the grass were having with their massive green friends.  
  
A very muddy Sailor Moon ran across Neo Moon's path carrying a stunned Sailor Mars. She threw her long raven haired comrade into a vacated store. "Sorry Mars!" She shot a glance at the pair and waved for them to follow her, "C'mon and help!" She ran back waving her Moon staff splattering the area with grime.  
  
Sailor Neo Moon ignored her mother and looked around for a suitable vehicle for her hair-brained scheme. She spotted a police motorcycle and made a beeline toward it. Mercury ran close behind her.  
  
The pink haired Senshi checked the fuel level and the bike's tires. She bounced on it while the bike's owner looked on in dismay from under the bus bench he was using for cover. Mercury watched Neo Moon play with the motorcycle and then ducked as a large rock flew overhead from the melee that was happening only one hundred meters away. "Is this your great plan?" Mercury held her arms over her head to protect herself from more incoming debris.  
  
"No." Neo Moon waved to the cop to hand her the keys. He threw them at her and then ran off. She started up the bike. With a fiendish grin and a biker attitude she pronounced, "This is!" She hit the engine and popped a wheelie as she rode into the park like a mad woman.  
  
Mercury threw her arms down. "Moon!" She ran a few steps to chase the wayward Senshi from the future and saw an airborne figure coming her way. Mercury jumped up to catch Sailor Io as she went flying by to keep her from slamming into the pavement.  
  
Io caught her breath. "Thanks Mercury!" The ground shook as the two girls saw a giant face come flying in. Mercury jumped up with Io still in her arms as a Godzilla's head smacked the ground hard shattering the asphalt. She landed on the tip of the creature's snout. Io hopped off Mercury and the two jumped in opposite directions as the giant reptile lifted its head out of the hole in the street.  
  
Neo Moon pulled out her Kaleido Moon Scope and cast "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" A ball of energy stuck the side of the monster just below the eye. It had an excellent view of the girl who struck it. Neo Moon threw her magic weapon into subspace and rode off behind the monster across the park.   
  
Godzilla took a few seconds to turn around to follow the motorcycle. The bike accelerated and drove toward the north side of the park. She hit her wrist communicator and dialed Sun's number.  
  
Ukyou heard a beep in her pocket. She pulled out Sailor Sun's cute little pink calculator with pretty yellow stars that looked like it came from a Hello Kitty emporium. She pressed the answer button. "Hello?"  
  
Neo Moon ducked her head under storefront sign that flew over her from an explosion that Uranus caused. She swerved her bike and made a small jump over a fallen piece of roof. She regained control and spoke into her watch, "Sun! I'm coming to your position. Get outside now and prepare to attack!"  
  
Ukyou had a hard time understanding what Neo Moon was saying over the noise of the battle and the motorcycle engine. "Uh... Sun's not here."  
  
"Sail... Uh... Where's Sun?" Neo Moon couldn't believe her bad luck. She thought she must have misdialed the extension. She turned around and saw that she had a sixty-five meter tall pissed off green T-Rex approaching rapidly to turn her into a Korean Barbecue dinner.  
  
Ukyou heard the sound of the footsteps and they were coming closer. "Sun's on her way to a battle. Uh..." Ukyou got her bearings. "She went south of my location." Ukyou noticed the ever loudening sound was also coming from the south.  
  
Neo Moon ignored Ukyou's comments as she had to swerve to avoid a concrete overhang that broke off and fell into her path. Godzilla's stomping behind her was breaking windows, setting off every car alarm and causing buildings to crack with each smash of the pavement. She started to move side to side in an effort to ditch the ravenous mouth that tried to take a bite out of her backside. The Godzilla rubbed against a building and slowed down as a shower of glass and concrete went flying all around it. The beast stepped away from the building and resumed its pursuit.  
  
Neo Moon saw the object of her quest ahead. A bug eyed Sailor Sun was frozen in the street as she saw the motorcycle whiz by streaming twin pink ponytails. The angry monster barreling down the street toward her was what had her compete undivided attention. She stood tall and cast "Searing Plasma Blast!" The ball of flame struck the creature in the face and it changed course slightly to stomp on the red-skirted pest.  
  
Sailor Sun jumped out of the way just as the giant foot cracked the pavement and collapsed an adjacent facade. Sun ran to the underside and focused her ki. "Moko Takabisha!" A ball of energy flew out and gave the equivalent of a kick in the butt.  
  
The monster was sensitive in that area of its anatomy and spun around to keep its soft spot away from this insect. It took a moment to slow down to a stop. It took another step back and inhaled.  
  
Sailor Sun ran toward the creature. She sensed the area to see if it was clear to cast Solar Flare and found that there were at least twenty people who were hiding in the nearby buildings. She silently cursed and felt a wave of nausea the instant she started to focus her Solar Flare attack. She stumbled and fell onto the monster's giant toenail.  
  
The Godzilla kicked its foot forward throwing Sun into the air. Godzilla prepared its breath attack to fry the girl in mid-air. A "Lava Blast" and a "Shabon Spray Freezing" flew into its open mouth. The creature shut its jaws in surprise with half of it burning and the other half frozen.  
  
Sailor Io leapt into the air and grabbed Sailor Sun. Mercury prepared to cast her spell again. Godzilla fired its breath weapon in the air for a moment to unfreeze its mouth. It glared at the three Senshi and used its claw to scrape the glass from a building to shower the street with debris.  
  
Mercury and Io jumped back at the monster's sudden counterattack. Mercury was hit and she fell to the ground and was quickly buried under a mound of broken steel, concrete and glass. Io shouted at her husband. "Wake up you jerk!" Io was at a loss at what to do. She couldn't save Mercury without dropping Sun. Io tossed her husband through a window of a professional office to get her out of harms way and ran to get Mercury out of the wreckage.   
  
Godzilla primed its breath weapon. Io called out "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken". She rapidly threw chunks of rock and steel out of the way to save her friend and part-time tutor for her husband. She couldn't let her down. She was going to save Sailor Mercury.  
  
Godzilla's back glowed a bright blue. It began to exhale and a bright white beam emerged from its forehead. The creature gave out a scream and arched its back in agony. Io fell to the ground with her body feeling like it was being shaken apart by sitting next to a speaker at a very loud rock concert.  
  
Godzilla's head flew apart and giant chunks of meat splashed everywhere. The sound of bones snapping and a guttural scream emerged from the rapidly collapsing body of Godzilla as it burst into magical flame. The white beam emerged from the chest of the creature and ripped apart the breast and the rest of the creature imploded into a fiery mess.  
  
Ukyou stood in middle of the street with a stern look of satisfaction. She held Saturn's Silence Glaive and cut the magic energy beam. "No one touches my friends!" She couldn't maintain her temporary link to the weapon. Ukyou shuddered and fell over. The Glaive fell out of her limp hands next to her.  
  
The beast's charred carcass fell to the pavement with a resounding shock wave. Godzilla blood and gore went flying everywhere covering the entire area with reddish goo.   
  
Sailor Neo Moon rode up on her bike and stopped by Ukyou. She scratched her head. "Hmm... Did it happen this way? Oh yeah, I forgot that part." She stowed the Glaive in subspace and picked up the chef and slung her on the bike. She rode back to the furniture store and gently carried Ukyou inside.  
  
Neo Moon placed Ukyou down on the futon near the bed with Pluto and Saturn. She slid the Silence Glaive on the floor near Sailor Saturn's side of the bed. She touched Ukyou's face and then the future girl shed a tear. "I'm so sorry Ukyou." She started sniffing her nose as she felt emotion building up inside her heavy heart. "It has... to... be..." She held back a sob as she ran out the door to her motorcycle refusing to look back. She got on and started the engine. She shot a quick glance at the darkened interior of the building and rode off to help Sailor Sun. "It's the way it has to be."  
  
Out of the shadows emerged an Amazon warrior. She wondered aloud. "What does spatula girl have to do with Senshi?" Shampoo readied her sword. Her danger sense was kicked into high alert. She hid back into the shadows to await what was coming. The pink haired Senshi was frightened and Shampoo knew that if a Senshi was scared, she should be too.  
  
  
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Mr. Tanaka, who was an agent of the Japanese Government, listened intently as Nick Tatopoulos blabbered on about the life cycle of Godzilla. He allowed Nick to amuse himself with his speech while he called in to his office and ordered the air strike.  
  
Nick kept on going. "That nest has to be destroyed! There could be as many as two hundred eggs in there and they don't take very long to hatch!" The agent didn't flinch at all. Nick turned red. "Are you even listening to me?"  
  
The agent put down his cell phone. He spoke in English. "Mr. Tatopoulos, I just called in an air strike with incendiary weapons. Will that do for you?"  
  
Nick stopped in mid-sentence. "Oh. Yeah, that'll do." He made a sheepish grin. "That'll do just fine."  
  
"Very well, I expect that you will come with me. This area is no longer safe." He turned and briskly walked away from the direction of the park.  
  
Nick heard a massive explosion and another mighty roar from the battle going on. "No longer safe? That's an understatement." He ran after Tanaka. "Hey! Wait for me!"  
  
  
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Sailor Mercury's computer beeped an attention sound. It was a special musical tone that meant, "Answer now or die!" Io followed the sound to dig out Sailor Mercury. Sailor Sun stood up from the shattered desk she was sprawled on and shook her head to regain consciousness. She realized where she was and ran to assist Io.   
  
Sun was shocked at the sight before her. The massive amount of Godzilla parts spread everywhere needed an explanation. Sun hoped that she hadn't somehow ended up in the Neko-Ken and caused this destruction. "Hey Io! What happened?" Sun did a quick scan of the area for felines to confirm her fear. She kneeled next to Io and without instruction started digging in the shattered debris with her since it seemed to be the logical thing to do.  
  
Sailor Io answered. "Mercury's buried here." She shot a look at the mess formerly known as Godzilla. "Lizard breath over there exploded for no reason."  
  
Sailor Sun wanted to say something about Io's cooking being the cause but decided to wisely keep her mouth shut. Sun moved a thin steel girder and found a gloved hand. "Mercury!"  
  
The two Senshi stepped up the pace and pulled Mercury out of the rubble. Sun tapped on Io's shoulder. "You take care of Mercury. I'll join the others."  
  
Io remembered how Sun collapsed when she was about to cast an attack spell. "Are you sure? You don't seem to be in any condition to fight."  
  
"I know why I passed out. I can't cast Solar Flare so soon. When I tried I conked out." She easily produced a ball of flame in her hand. "I can throw my Searing Plasma Blast and my ki attacks fine."  
  
"You take care of yourself."  
  
A motorcycle roar interrupted their conversation. Neo Moon looked like she was made to ride the police motorcycle. The young Senshi tilted her head back. "Get on Sun!"  
  
Sailor Sun gave a cocky grin back to her wife. "Don't worry! It's me!" She hopped on the bike and held her arms around Neo Moon. Sun checked the bike. "Uh... Shouldn't we be wearing helmets?" Neo Moon gave a grin of pure evil. The engine made a loud roar and the bike sped off with Sun's flaming red hair blowing in the wind.  
  
Io rolled her eyes as she watched the two crazed Senshi ride off to battle. "Don't worry she says. That's what I'm worried about."  
  
  
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Paul spun up the rotor to full power and lifted the helicopter into the air. The Huey had a giant smelly fish filled canvas bag tied to the winch on the side. The plan was simple. Attract the monster away from the nest and then blow the nest to kingdom come. Phillipe was more than happy to let the Japanese military deal with the giant beasts but the babies had to die and there had to be no survivors this time. Alain sat in the back with the one kiloton nuclear weapon that he assured everyone would not wipe out the city if detonated in an underground lair.  
  
Paul was convinced that he, Philippe and Alain were dead men. The three men were the only ones on the helicopter since the other commandos were not needed for this mission. The mission was a mission of last resort. Philippe was only going to allow the use of the device if Nick failed to get the Japanese to bomb the park. He hoped that the Japanese would listen to Nick and send in an air strike since dropping a nuke on Japanese soil was something he didn't want do to. He couldn't leave anything to chance. The babies had to be exterminated. Philippe grimaced at the thought of more Godzillas in the future and didn't want the opportunity pass to end this nightmare once and for all.  
  
Paul got the Huey clear of the buildings and flew in the direction of the nest. He had a bad feeling about the mission.  
  
  
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The four jets were refueled and taxiing down the runaway to do battle once again. "Base, this is Alpha squadron. Requesting permission to take off."  
  
"Alpha squadron. You are cleared for take off. Good luck."  
  
"Roger that." The squad leader commanded his men to follow his lead. He taxied to the runway and was airborne in seconds. The aircraft were outfitted with more Type 80 radar guided missiles and also equipped with a single large incendiary device on the undercarriage.  
  
The base commander watched the aircraft take off and fly to Tokyo. He took a drink of sake. It was against regulations, but he justified it in his mind since giant monsters were not in the rulebooks. He took another swig and hid his flask in his pants pocket. He was handed the preliminary damage assessment report. The Senshi were running amok near downtown Tokyo so he knew he wasn't going to like what would probably be written on the papers in his hand.  
  
  
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The five remaining Senshi in the park were keeping the remaining monster busy. Jupiter would fire her lightning while Uranus would counter strike with "World Shaking." Venus kept tangling Godzilla's legs with her chain and Sailor Moon fired her "Moon Gorgeous Meditation" in an attempt to wear the creature down. Neptune would splash the giant reptile's mouth with water to stop it from firing its breath weapon.  
  
The monster showed no signs of tiring. It showed every indication that it wanted to wipe the Senshi away and was using every trick it could come up with the inflict harm on the five girls harming it. It got more frustrated as the girls kept dodging its tail and attempted breath attacks. The park was in complete ruin and most buildings near the park were aflame.  
  
Venus was the first to tire. "Where is everyone else? Where's Mercury? Where's Mars?" Godzilla took a step forward with its ensnared foot and knocked Venus over when her chain was yanked out of her hands. The magic dissipated and the monster charged Sailor Neptune. The Senshi of the sea threw hot water at the beast's face to throw it off while she ran for cover. Her plan worked as the monster shook off the steaming water and growled again.  
  
A fireball came from the north and Sailor Sun threw another one at the monsters rump. She knew that was a weak spot from her battle with the previous monster.  
  
Godzilla spun to protect its sensitive area. It cast out its breath weapon while Sun and Neo Moon barely had time to react and leapt out of the way. The motorbike melted and burned in the intense heat. The other Senshi cast their attacks while the creature was distracted and it got spooked and ran away toward the bay.  
  
Sailor Moon cheered. She thought she had the creature on the run and foolishly ran after it. Her warriors followed their princess but questioned the wisdom of chasing a sixty-meter tall monster.  
  
Godzilla stopped at the east side of the park and suddenly turned its head around. It took a deep inhale and its spikes glowed an intense bright blue. It was going to give this blast the maximum power it could.  
  
Sailor Moon saw her mistake and skidded to a stop. Sailor Mars came out of nowhere and grabbed her princess, threw her over her shoulder and jumped skyward as a massive ball of blue fire blew under the two of them.  
  
Sailor Mars silently prayed that the fire would be gone by the time they landed. She looked down and saw the flames below her were not receding. She shifted her princess in front of her and used her own body as a shield as she fell into the inferno. She landed just as the breath weapon began to lose power. She jumped again to get out of the raging fire but still was bathed in terrible heat for half a second. Mars' natural Senshi resistance to fire and remaining mud on her body prevented her from dying immediately. Her backside was raging in flames and Mars ignored the pain and held back a scream of agony. She jumped one more time toward the lake directly ahead of her. She released Sailor Moon in mid-flight and turned over to land back side down into the cool lake water to quell the fire. Sailor Moon belly flopped several meters away in a typical clumsy fashion. Moon resurfaced a moment later.  
  
"Mars!" Sailor Venus screamed at the horrid sight of Sailor Mars burning body hitting the water. Venus darted at top speed following her red-skirted ally's path and jumped into the lake after her friend. She quickly swam to Sailor Mars and turned her face down body over to allow her to breath air again.   
  
Godzilla was about to breathe again to finish the job of the three waterlogged Senshi when both Sailors Sun and Neo Moon hit its rump with their attacks. It actually hurt the massive creature. It bent its serpentine neck and roared at the pair of Senshi. Sailor Neo Moon ran east toward the bay. Sailor Sun knew Godzilla was going to breathe again. She saw that there were still a few people running for cover. She had to get the monster to shoot somewhere else to avoid any more innocent lives being lost. She jumped up onto a low rooftop and jumped again to the top of a twelve-story building. She stood her ground and fired another Searing Plasma Blast.   
  
The Godzilla aimed and glowed blue. Sun saw something fly by in the air and went for broke. She jumped up and the creature blasted empty space as Sun grabbed a bag that was dangling from the bottom of a helicopter.  
  
The monster raised itself on its haunches. It lifted its head over ninety meters in the air as it stretched its body and neck to gain as much height as it could. The bag smelled good to the starving pseudo dinosaur. It was famished and decided to forgo roasting Sun and take a light snack.  
  
Paul took the cue. He slammed the controls and flew the copter in reverse. He rotated the craft as it flew to the bay. "Philippe, this is a really stupid idea!"  
  
Philippe was making the sign of the cross over his forehead and wondered what was going through his mind to put him in this mess in the first place.  
  
Alain was looking below and saw they had picked up a passenger. "Hey there's one of those funny girls on the bag."  
  
Philippe poked his head out of the window and saw the girl shoot a fireball at the monster. He shouted at her in French forgetting that this was Japan and no one but the occupants of the helicopter would understand his words. "What are you doing you idiot!"  
  
Sailor Sun heard someone above her yell something but she didn't understand a word said. She was happy that they were attracting the monster away from the city.  
  
Alain pulled out the bomb. He tapped to Philippe to show his intention. "Once we have gotten the monster away, we can blow the nest."  
  
Philippe liked the idea. He still didn't want to use the weapon. "We're too close to park right now. Wait until we lure this thing out of range and then we'll decide if we can blow the nest or it to hell."  
  
Alain nodded. He inserted the key into the bomb to unlock the first arming stage. He didn't set the timer or the secondary arm switch. He wasn't that reckless. He needed to be able to deploy at a moment's notice.  
  
  
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Sailor Mercury woke up. Her computer kept beeping. Mercury read the display and pulled out her communicator. Io asked, "What's the matter."  
  
Mercury ignored her. She called everyone. "Girls! They're sending an air strike to the park! Get out of the park now!"  
  
Sailors Venus and Moon dragged Mars out of the lake. They checked on Sailor Mars and she seemed to not have any life threatening injuries. For a human, the injuries would have been fatal. For a Senshi or someone from Nerima, it was a flesh wound. Their watches beeped and they got the message from Mercury. Uranus and Neptune ran up to the three. Uranus grabbed Mars and the girls ran away from the center of the park as fast as their legs could carry them.  
  
Sailor Jupiter was running after Godzilla. She saw Sailor Sun jump onto the bottom of a helicopter and wanted to see if she could save her psychotic friend from herself.  
  
  
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Paul flew the chopper over the bay. The monster didn't slow down. It was famished and the fish smelled so good that it was willing to chase the flying entree down. It jumped off the shore and landed in the water with a mighty splash capsizing several nearby pleasure boats. It walked much slower in the bay since the friction of the water was dragging it. It dove nose first into the water and regained speed by swishing its tail to propel itself in the cool liquid.  
  
Sailor Sun watched the thing sink beneath the waves. She got a good look at the bay and waved to the helicopter and pointed to the mouth of the bay.  
  
Paul didn't see Sun but turned it that direction anyways to lure the creature into deeper waters. Alain shouted to be heard over the aircraft's noise. "I've set the bomb that a twenty meter deep detonation would be fine. We can deploy here." He set the timer and held the secondary arm switch ready.  
  
Philippe violently shook his head. "No! We just keep it here. The Japanese should have an air strike coming soon. Let's wait to see if the Japanese are sending in aircraft." He silently muttered. "Or let that magic girl blow it away."  
  
Godzilla sensed the depth in front of it and felt that there was an island up ahead. It could strike from there. It swished its tail and swam quickly to the man made island. The beast used its front claws to lift itself out of the water and up to the prey.  
  
Sailor Sun felt the air move upward around her. She shot a glance down and saw Godzilla burst from under the water and opened its gaping mouth to clamp down on the sack of fish. Sun's eye grew the size of dinner plates and she jumped upward to the cabin of the helicopter.  
  
Paul gunned the engine to climb away from impending doom. He reduced the power an instant before the monster clamped down on its meal and yanked the helicopter down. The cable snapped causing the helicopter to jolt upward.  
  
Alain pulled out the arming key to disable the primary arming switch. As the copter lurched, he fumbled with the device and threw the secondary arm switch by accident. The timer activated and the bomb started ticking. He jammed the bomb in his lap with his elbow as he reached for either switch to disable the weapon.  
  
Sailor Sun grabbed the landing strut just as the helicopter violently shook as Godzilla pulled down to cut the cable and swallow its meal. She swung as a gymnast into the cabin. Her face landed in Alain's lap. She saw the pill shaped object and asked in Japanese, "You've got poison? Great idea!" She thought that the men were going to feed this to the creature. She was more than happy to help.  
  
Alain didn't understand what she had said. He sat open mouthed as the girl deftly grabbed the bomb from his hands. Sailor Sun smiled. "Don't worry, I'll give it to him." She tightly held the 'pill' and jumped out.  
  
The bomb expert was ashen. He stuck his head out of the chopper to watch Sun fall straight for Godzilla's face. Alain shouted. "What the hell!"  
  
Godzilla saw the new morsel fall from the sky. It opened its mouth to accept the gracious offering. Sun looked down the throat of the beast and threw the pill down the hatch as hard as she could. She grabbed onto the cable dangling below the chopper and swung to safety.  
  
Godzilla slammed its mouth shut when it felt something touch its tongue. It was curious that the meat it swallowed was tasteless and not satisfying in the least. The helicopter went higher in the sky to get away from the creature. The beast followed the aircraft hoping for something else to fall out that tasted better. The Godzilla sank into the water and swam in chase.  
  
Alain shouted at the top of his lungs. "That idiot just deployed the bomb!"  
  
Philippe and Paul shouted together, "WHAT!" Paul didn't need anyone to tell him otherwise, he gunned the helicopter's engine and prayed that the shock wave or the EMP wouldn't take them down.  
  
Paul turned the helicopter to exit Tokyo Bay. Godzilla was in pursuit. Paul shouted, "How long?"  
  
Alain checked his seat belt. "I don't know. Seconds maybe?"  
  
Philippe made the sign of the cross again and held his hands in prayer.  
  
  
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Sailor Jupiter stood alongside Sailor Neo Moon at the edge of Tokyo Bay. The white-skirted Senshi put her hand in her face and groaned. "Yep, this is exactly what happened."  
  
Jupiter glared at Neo Moon. "What?"  
  
Neo Moon pushed Jupiter to the ground. "Duck!"  
  
  
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The jets arrived over the center of Tokyo. The giant monster was nowhere to be seen. Searchlights from news helicopters over the bay attracted the attention of the lead pilot. "Base, this is Alpha One. Secondary target has moved to the bay. Please advise."  
  
"Alpha one, hit primary target first. Repeat, hit primary target first. Engage secondary target afterwards."  
  
"Roger." Alpha one locked his radar on the pit in Shiba Park. "All wings, prepare to deploy incendiaries on my mark." They dropped their flaps and made a slow approach to the park to drop the heavy napalm weapons.  
  
  
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Sailor Sun climbed up the cable and held onto one of the landing struts. Paul had to compensate for the shift in weight to maintain control of the helicopter.  
  
Godzilla peered up at the chopper flying away from under the bay's surface. The green iguana slowed down and decided to let the thing go. It didn't think the continued effort for an unsatisfying meal was worth it. It turned around with a flick of the tail to return to the nest to check on the young. It dove under the water and kicked off the bottom to gain speed to return home.  
  
Godzilla developed a massive case of indigestion as its internal organs were incinerated and a small fireball erupted from its chest. A bright flash and a massive steam cloud erupted from the center of the bay.   
  
The water of the bay lit up like a giant flash bulb and a plume of water over one hundred meters high flew into the air. A mushroom shaped cloud of steam and smoke enveloped it. The bomb was a firecracker as far as nuclear bombs went and it hardly yielded five hundred tons of explosive force. It was enough to blow the creature into bite sized morsels and pollute the bay for weeks.  
  
A concussion wave erupted from the water and Sailor Sun almost lost her grip from the strut and she fell a few meters until she grabbed onto the cable and gripped it tight. The helicopter started to sputter and Paul fought the controls as the avionics failed from the Electro-Magnetic Pulse. Hydraulics failed, panels sparked and the engine cut out. "We are going down!"  
  
Philippe chanted a "Hail Mary." Alain cursed out the wacko red head. Sailor Sun held on for dear life. Paul used every bit of his experience as a combat pilot to ditch the helicopter as safely as possible. Sailor Sun let go of the cable and fell twenty meters and ki blasted the water to soften her landing. The chopper hit the water a moment later ten meters in front of her. The blades impacted the surface and broke apart sending fragments everywhere. The occupants were slammed hard and were momentarily stunned from the shock. Sun swam to the surface and quickly paddled to the aircraft as it dipped under the waves. She held her breath and dove in.  
  
Paul had unbuckled his seat belt and was undoing Philippe's belt as the Senshi appeared like a red colored angel. She assessed the situation and effortlessly tore out Alain's seat belt and pulled him out of the craft. Paul pushed Philippe out of the craft and pulled him to the surface.  
  
The three men and the part time lady hit the surface of the bay. Sailor Sun asked the men, "Are you all right?"  
  
Philippe was awake. He glared at the Senshi and replied in Japanese. "No thanks to you!"  
  
Sun struggled to keep Alain above water. "What are you talking about? I fed the pill to it for you." She looked at her handiwork in the form of a giant ball of steam high above them. "Looks like it worked."  
  
The Frenchman wanted to throttle the Senshi. It was the same reaction that Sailor Sun inspired in many people she knew. "You idiot! We weren't going to use that bomb! The Japanese Defense Force was going to deal with it."   
  
"A bomb? Was that what that was?" She took a look around. "Is that why the helicopter crashed?"  
  
"It was your fault the copter crashed you imbecile!"  
  
Sailor Sun looked to the stars. She floated face up keeping Alain above water. She silently asked the gods. "Why is everything my fault? I was only trying to help." She splashed the water in frustration and held Alain above the surface to keep him from drowning.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from replacing all of your Christmas gifts with lumps of coal.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 9th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	14. Calm before the storm

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 14 Calm before the storm  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make earn a degree in the Saotome School of Anything Goes Flower Arranging.  
  
  
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Ukyou awoke to the sound of a motorcycle engine roaring to life and speeding away. She bolted upright and grabbed her spatula that lay next to her and ran to the broken store window to see what had caused the noise.  
  
Silence greeted her and she gazed out into the empty street. Ukyou's head was spinning from the sudden exertion and she leaned against the windowsill carefully avoiding the broken glass. She thought about a dream that felt very real, "What happened? What did I just do?" Her memory was fuzzy from the last hour and she tried to piece together the images that seemed to be like someone else's life in her mind. She froze as she felt a shiver down her back as she sensed someone nearby.  
  
Ukyou reached into her bandolier and extracted a small throwing peel and held it in her hand. The tiny spatula was usually used for her customers to eat an okonomiyaki but Ukyou had mastered the art of using them as throwing weapons. Ukyou smiled as she felt she knew who was watching her. She spun around and threw the utensil into a dark corner.  
  
"Ouch!" Came the high-pitched Chinese voice from the shadows. "Why spatula girl get violent all sudden?"  
  
Ukyou was surprised. She was sure that it was Konatsu who had followed her and was hiding like he always did to watch over her. "Shampoo?"  
  
Shampoo's cover was blown. She simply stepped into the dim light of the store so that Ukyou could see her. She rubbed her left arm where the spatula hit her and held the metal spatula in her left hand. "Yes, Shampoo here. Shampoo not happy Ukyou hit Shampoo with tool for cooking." She stopped rubbing her arm and tossed the item back to Ukyou. Ukyou caught it effortlessly and slid it back into her shoulder belt.  
  
Ukyou turned up an eyebrow as she pondered the presence of the Amazon warrior. "So sugar, whatcha doing spying on me?"  
  
Shampoo was indignant, she had seen what happened moments ago. "What Ukyou do with Senshi? How Ukyou use Senshi weapon?"  
  
Ukyou gasped at the realization that her memories weren't a dream and that she had indeed used the Silence Glaive. The memory rushed back into her head and she played out the whole incident in her mind. Sailor Saturn had grabbed Ukyou and the chef felt a warm energy flow into her body. The little Senshi pointed at her weapon and had said, "Say 'Silence Glaive Surprise' to use it to protect us."  
  
Ukyou remembered the terrible roar and magical blasts that had happened outside and she had run to see what had caused that racket. She saw Sailor Sun running around the monster and a Senshi on a motorcycle driving by. Ukyou saw the creature glow blue and knew she had to do something. She called out the magic words to invoke Saturn's spell and felt the Senshi magic flow through her like nothing she had ever felt before. Ukyou stood her ground as the energy flew from the tip of the Glaive into the giant creature slicing it like a massive cabbage. The scream the creature uttered would haunt Ukyou's dreams for years to come. Blood and gore covered the street but Ukyou wouldn't budge a centimeter as she slowly cut the beast in half.  
  
The magic was too much to bear in her human body. Ukyou didn't have the magical protection of a Sailor Senshi since she wasn't one. She was only given the power by a link that the little Senshi created and Saturn was tiring quickly in the bed. The moment Saturn gave out was the moment that Ukyou collapsed on the ground. Everything that happened was all crystal clear to Ukyou now.  
  
Ukyou stood tall before the Amazon maiden. "I..." Ukyou rethought what she was about to say. "I don't know what you're talking about Sugar."  
  
"Hmmm... Is that so Ukyou?" Shampoo walked over to the bed and Ukyou raced to intercept her.  
  
"Hey! What'd you think you're doing?" Ukyou stood between Shampoo and the tired Senshi.  
  
"Simple. You no talk Shampoo, Shampoo talk Senshi." Shampoo jumped in the air over Ukyou and landed on the far side of the bed. She reached down and picked up the Silence Glaive. She held it accusingly at Ukyou. "Now you know what Shampoo talk about?"  
  
Ukyou clenched her fists in anger. "That's not yours! Put that down Shampoo." She jumped over the bed and stood two meters in front of the Amazon.  
  
Shampoo twirled the weapon in her arms. "Shampoo like this weapon." She spun her body around and started on a pole arm kata with the two and a half meter long Glaive. "Well balanced."  
  
"That's not a plaything Shampoo. Put it down before someone gets hurt." Ukyou took a step back to avoid the tip of the Glaive from reaching her in the event Shampoo got hostile.  
  
"So you know how use this? Shampoo think so. Shampoo see everything." Shampoo spun the weapon over her head and held it out across her chest and stretched both arms outward in a gesture to give the weapon back to Ukyou. "Show Shampoo."  
  
Ukyou took the Glaive back. "Sorry Sugar. I can't use this like that anymore." She glanced at the sleeping Sailor Saturn. "She's the one who can use this. Not me."  
  
The Amazon pointed outside. "Then how you use on big lizard?"  
  
Ukyou shrugged. "She gave me the power to help the Senshi." She tightened her grip on the weapon. "But it was a one time thing." Ukyou sighed. "I don't feel the power anymore." Ukyou stepped alongside the purple haired girl and kneeled down and gently put the weapon back down on the floor next to its owner. "I'm just here to watch over these two. Nothing more." She turned to look at Shampoo. "Now, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be belittling Mousse right now?"  
  
Shampoo crossed her arms and turned her nose to the sky. "Not care about Mousse. Shampoo here to fight with Ranma!"  
  
Ukyou twitched her eyebrows. "I think even he's out of his league on this one honey. But knowing him, he's out there getting the stuffing kicked out of him." Ukyou added in her mind, "And he's wearing a mini-skirt while doing it." Ukyou let out a laugh at her thought.  
  
"What so funny spatula girl? Ranma great warrior. Ukyou show respect for Ranma."  
  
"Oh nothing, just thinking about something funny." Ukyou flashed an image of Sailor Sun in her mind and remembered how the Ranma she knew would complain endlessly about wearing anything feminine. The Senshi uniform was about as feminine as they come. She gave out another small laugh and then controlled herself.  
  
"Care to share joke with Shampoo? Joke seems to be very funny." Shampoo stood steadfast and produced a bonbori also shot a glance to her left.  
  
Ukyou gripped a throwing spatula and glanced to her right. "Well the joke is OVER THERE!" She pointed at the back of the store and both girls threw their weapons at the shadow they spotted. The shadow darted around the girls and clung to the ceiling.  
  
"Mistress?" Konatsu called out.  
  
Ukyou groaned as she rolled her eyes. "What's going on? A reunion?" She stuffed the two other throwing spatulas she had in her hand back into her bandolier. Konatsu tossed her spatula back to her and Shampoo's bonbori back to the Amazon.  
  
Konatsu dropped from the ceiling and bowed to his mistress. "Ukyou, I was worried for you since you have been gone for so long. It took me many hours to find you. I am glad you are well." Konatsu gave a cute smile that put Ranko-chan to shame in its sweetness.  
  
Shampoo looked at Ukyou. "You sure he no fall in Nyannichuan?"  
  
Ukyou muttered. "Sometimes I wonder."  
  
"This is the only life I've known my mistress." Konatsu bowed down to his love. He only knew the life of a female ninja. He acted like a girl, he dressed as a girl and he talked like a girl. He was born a man yet had the soul of a woman. However his preference in mates matched his real gender since he was hopelessly in love with Ukyou. "Please forgive me."  
  
"It's ok Konatsu-chan." Ukyou hated when her kunoichi groveled at her feet. "C'mon, get up."  
  
"Oh, thank you Ukyou!" He held his hands together and cried tears of joy.  
  
Shampoo shook her head. "You REALLY sure he no fall in Nyannichuan?"  
  
  
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Sailor Neo Moon was lying on top of a miffed Sailor Jupiter. Jupiter was very uncomfortable with the young Senshi on top of her. "Uh... Why are we ducking?"  
  
"Just wait." Neo Moon checked her wristwatch as it was counting down. "We've got twenty-two seconds to go."  
  
"Twenty-two seconds for what?" Jupiter was very bored from being pinned down. Neo Moon had them on the ground for over two minutes.  
  
"Ok. Look away from the bay. Now!" A bright flash came from the middle of the bay and disappeared. The pink haired Senshi started counting upward. "Ten. Eleven. Twelve." A rush of wind rustled over them and a muffled sound of a low-pitched rumble was heard. Usa sighed, "Finally!" She got off of her green-skirted friend and stood in awe at the rising steam cloud that illuminated the predawn sky.  
  
Jupiter slowly got up as well and watched the white cloud dissipate over the harbor. "Don't tell me that Sailor Sun learned another spell?"  
  
Neo Moon snickered at the remark. She shook her head and replied, "Nah, she just screwed up again. Typical." She waved to her brown haired companion to follow her. "Let's go get her." She ran to a small dock with Sailor Jupiter in tow and located a small motorboat that looked like it had some guts under the hood. Neo Moon gave the craft a simple once over. "This will do." She clapped her hands twice and Luna-P flew in from nowhere. The cat head shaped balloon hovered over its master awaiting her command. "Luna-P key!"  
  
Luna-P shook a little and then opened a small hatch with metal ignition key resting inside. Neo Moon grabbed it and stuck it in the ignition of the boat and turned it on. The motor came to life. Neo Moon asked Jupiter, "Could you untie the boat?"  
  
Jupiter stared at Luna-P. "I've got to get me one of those." She pulled the ropes off the boat and tossed them back to the dock. One of the ropes was actually a chain that was locked to prevent the boat from being stolen. She cast "Supreme Thunder" to cut the chain.  
  
Neo Moon's face contained the smile of evil. She set the throttle to reverse and pulled the boat out of the slip. She turned the wheel and hit the accelerator. "Wheeee!"  
  
Jupiter lunged for the passenger seat and held on. "You're having way too much fun doing this you know!"  
  
"Yeehaw!" Neo Moon threw a fist in the air and let the ocean breeze pull her ponytails behind her. "You betcha!"  
  
Sailor Jupiter watched her pink haired friend enjoy herself. "You sure have changed Chibi Usa. You talk like Sailor Sun."  
  
The grown up Chibi Usa just kept on smiling and turned the boat to where she knew the helicopter went down. She hummed a popular tune from one of the bands she remembered from the 30th century and kept the boat on a steady course to rescue her future martial arts teacher.  
  
  
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The lead pilot of the Alpha squadron led his group of four jets on a low approach to the pit in the center of Shiba Park. "We have a good lock. Base, we're requesting permission to deploy on primary target."  
  
The commander back at the base checked with his commanding officer. "Is everyone out of the park?"  
  
The General answered back. "The Senshi have left the area and all troops have fallen back three blocks. You can clear them to destroy the nest."  
  
The commander nodded. "Clear them."  
  
The radio operator hit the transmit button. "Alpha squadron, you are cleared to deploy on Shiba Park. Repeat, you are cleared to deploy on Shiba Park."  
  
"Acknowledge. Alpha squadron, follow my lead and deploy on target." The leader achieved a laser lock and dropped the giant fire bomb from the undercarriage of his F15-J. The plane lifted slightly from the quick loss of weight. In seconds, four large bombs from the four planes were falling from the sky.  
  
The pit was filled with dirt and had a very narrow hole that plunged into darkness. The tunnel was filled with an intense orange glow as the bomb exploded showering the entire area with superheated flame. A stream of burning fuel bathed the inner chamber in heat and fire.  
  
Several four-meter tall eggs exploded as they were embraced by the inferno. The fire heated the egg chamber but most of the eggs were not harmed since they were covered in a layer of dirt and crushed rock. The heat collapsed the main entrance of the nest and cut off the supply of napalm from the weapon.  
  
The park shuddered from three more fireballs, each larger than the one before as they fed on the residual fuel from the previous bombs. In all, the entire central area of the park became a massive cauldron of fire heating the area to the point of steel poles and cars melting in witness to the flames.  
  
"Base, this is Alpha leader. We have deployed primary weapons and target was hit. Repeat, the target was hit."  
  
The men in the room cheered. The General shared in the optimism of his men. "Call the planes back. Send in ground troops to secure the area and have them arm with light anti-tank weapons and explosive rounds for the rifles to take out the stragglers. Have the attack helicopters ready to give air support in case something else shows up."  
  
The orders were relayed to the troops. The General slouched in a large chair. He wanted a strong drink right now.  
  
  
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Sailor Mars yelped in pain as Sailor Uranus placed the princess of the planet of fire face down on a stretcher. The Senshi stopped among a small group of soldiers who had created a makeshift base on the far side of Tokyo Tower. Sailor Moon raised her healing wand and cast "Moon Healing Activation" on the girl who risked her life to save hers.  
  
The raven haired Senshi moaned as the magic took effect. It closed up the wounds on her back and stopped all the bleeding.  
  
Sailor Venus breathed a sigh of relief. "Hang in there Mars."  
  
Mars tried to get up. She gritted her teeth and fell back down. She muttered something unintelligible. Sailor Neptune came with a blanket and covered up Mars' backside since her dress was burned completely off giving anyone a free show of her backside. Mars muttered again, "Thanks."  
  
Neptune smiled. "You're welcome."  
  
Sailor Moon stopped shaking from the whole ordeal. She kneeled down to her protector. She spoke at a level above a whisper to her dear friend. "Mars, thank you for saving me."  
  
Mars whispered back. "Anytime, meatball head."  
  
  
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Sailor Mercury watched the bombs fall and hit the park. "Now that's impressive. Wish we had a spell like that."  
  
Sailor Io shook her head. "Are you sure that wasn't Sun showing off again?"  
  
Mercury shuddered at the thought. "We'd better join the others." She hit her Sailor wristwatch. "Sailor Moon, you there?"  
  
Sailor Moon heard her communicator beep. "Moon here."  
  
Mercury was visible in the little screen. "Io and I are by a dead Godzilla. Where are you?"  
  
"We're near the base of Tokyo Tower with some soldiers. Mars is hurt pretty bad. Could you come over here to see if she'll be ok?"  
  
"Sure thing. Mercury out." She turned off her watch. "Io, they're not that far from here. Let's go."  
  
Sailor Io looked to the giant body in front of her. "Ok. Let's go." The two Senshi ran down the street to rejoin their friends. Io turned to look behind her as she ran. She could have sworn that she saw something moving in that mess. She dismissed the idea since the monster was clearly dead. There was no chance the creature could be alive in any way.  
  
As the two girls ran to meet the rest of the team, Mercury dialed Neo Moon's number. It answered, "Neo Moon here."  
  
The Senshi of the innermost planet held her watch to her face while avoiding debris as she ran. "Where's the last Godzilla?"  
  
Neo Moon had to shout to drown out the sound of the speedboat's motor. "It's fish food. Sailor Sun blew it up in the bay. It was a spectacular explosion. They'll probably play it on the Fox network for weeks."  
  
The computer whiz shook her head. "Ok. We're regrouping at the base of Tokyo Tower. Can you get Sun and Jupiter to meet us there?"  
  
Neo Moon began to slow down the boat as she was getting close to where the helicopter debris field was. "It's going to take a little time. We're on a boat on our way to pick up Sun." She paused for a moment. "It's a long story."  
  
Io and Mercury shot glances at each other. Io put her hand to her forehead to wave off an incoming headache induced by her husband just being herself. "Oh, I can't wait to hear about this one at school tomorrow."  
  
Mercury agreed with Io. She couldn't wait to hear what really happened in the bay too. "All right, meet us after you pick Sun up. Mercury out."  
  
A few minutes of running had the two Senshi face to face with their teammates. Sailor Moon asked her newly arrived warriors, "I know that two of those things are dead. What happened to the third one?"  
  
Sailor Mercury had the answer. "Neo Moon said on the radio that it was killed in the bay. She thinks that Sailor Sun took it out in a blaze of glory."  
  
Sailor Io groaned, she was tired of her husband always showing off. "Go figure."  
  
"At least it's gone." Mercury bent down to examine her injured friend on the stretcher. She lifted the blanket and recoiled at what she saw. "She's covered in first and second degree burns. There's nothing that I see that her Senshi powers won't be able to cure. Her healing magic will have her up and about in a few days."  
  
Mars gave a hint of a smile. "I don't have to go to school tomorrow. I can get some sleep."  
  
  
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Mr. Tanaka's cell phone rang. He opened the tiny phone and held it close so that no one else could hear. "Yes? Uh huh. You sure? Report back when you have confirmed the cleansing was complete." He closed his phone and turned to Nick 'The Worm Guy' Tatopoulos who was munching on a small tuna roll. "It appears that the Senshi have destroyed the last Godzilla and we've successfully bombed the nest."  
  
Nick was downtrodden at the news. He was both happy that the threat was over but was saddened that a unique form of life had to be wiped out before anyone could have a chance to study and learn from it. He thought about the situation at hand and needed to be sure the nightmare was over. "You need to send in men to make sure that each and every egg is destroyed. We don't want to repeat the mistake that happened in New York City."  
  
The Japanese special agent looked smug. "We are very good at what we do. We have troops moving in as we speak. They'll be able to verify that the threat is over once and for all."  
  
Nick slumped on the bench he was sitting on. "I hope for your sake you're right. We bombed the last nest and four babies still survived." He waved his hand in a gesture of presentation in the direction of the mayhem and destruction. "This is what those four were able to do."  
  
The agent raised an eyebrow. "Four? We only counted three."  
  
Nick realized he screwed up. The fourth was killed by the French in the deep water nuclear explosion and they didn't want anyone to know about their involvement. "Uh... Well, one died in the ocean from uh..."  
  
The agent smiled and looked Nick in the eye. "You're new at this aren't you?" Nick nodded. Mr. Tanaka spoke slowly. "There was an undersea volcanic eruption yesterday that was unrelated to our little problem. There were only three Godzillas. Right?"  
  
Nick nodded in agreement as he purchased a clue in his mind. "Yes, there were only three Godzillas."  
  
"Good. It appears that you Americans are indeed wise in the ways of the world." He turned to the communications truck and looked at the monitors showing scenes from the park and surrounding areas. "Well the troops are moving in. We should know shortly about the real state of the nest. Oh..."  
  
Nick got a little worried. "Oh?"  
  
"Nothing to worry about. The Senshi are also helping the troops. There should be no problems now."  
  
"Can you tell me anything about those 'Senshi'?"  
  
Mr. Tanaka smirked and handed him another tuna roll. "Eat and regain your strength."  
  
Nick took the food and uttered in disbelief. "I'll take that as a no."  
  
  
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The soldiers near the Sailor Senshi got their orders. "We're moving out!" The men jumped into a troop transport and checked their weapons.  
  
Sailor Moon stood up and asked a nearby sergeant. "Where are you going?"  
  
"We've been sent to the park to check if the nest was destroyed."  
  
"Nest? There was a nest?"  
  
"Yes, a nest with eggs." The sergeant opened the passenger door to the truck and got in. He banged on the door to signal the troops and waved his arm forward. "Move out!" The truck lurched forward and the convoy drove away.  
  
Mercury remembered what she had heard from her conversation with Nick Tatopoulos. "Oh no. A Godzilla nest could have as many as two hundred eggs in it."  
  
Sailor Venus stood up and made a pose. "Let's dust them! They're only going to be eggs right?"  
  
Sailor Uranus stood alongside her companion Sailor Neptune. "Neptune and I are ready."  
  
Moon looked at her friend Sailor Mars. "Let's get rid of these things. Mercury, could you take care of Mars while we're making omelets?"  
  
"Sure thing Moon. I'm kind of bushed anyways, what with a building falling on me and Io having to dig me out."  
  
Sailor Io blushed and pretended to be innocent. "It was nothing."  
  
Moon charged into battle. "Let's go get them. How hard could this be? They're just eggs."  
  
Mercury shouted at the group as they ran away back to the park. "They're four-meter tall eggs!"  
  
  
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Deep underground, the caches of eggs were feeling the heat coming from the roof above. The eggs started to shake and crack. A snout broke through the leathery skin of an egg and it cried out as it took its first breath of air. The baby bit away the edge of the egg and discarded the bad tasting material. It widened the opening until it was able to take a step out of its black womb. The baby Godzilla shook its three-meter tall body and wagged its tail to free itself from the egg. It was very hungry and sniffed around the dark chamber looking for food.  
  
It heard the cries of other Godzillas and walked to meet with them. A few minutes later it was in a sewer junction with twenty more of its kind and they all growled at each other as they all examined the room for any sign of breakfast.  
  
There was a smell coming from the south in a sewer tunnel. A smell of rotting meat was coming from the south. A smell of a lot of tasty meat was filling the babies nostrils. The Godzillas began to walk toward the smell in search of nourishment.  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and keeps me from posting your email address to thousands of spammers. Hmm... Judging from your inbox, I think that might be an empty threat.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 10th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	15. The more the merrier

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 15 The more the merrier  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or put me under twenty-four hour surveillance.  
  
  
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The soldiers approached the park from the north and west sides and stopped their vehicles at every corner of the park as they encircled it. No one dared to enter the park itself since the center was covered with a lake of fire from the residue from the incendiary bombs. The men from the Tokyo Tower detachment jumped out of their trucks and held their weapons ready for any sign of trouble.  
  
The lead sergeant cocked his rifle but kept the safety on. "Men, be on the lookout for iguana like creatures that should be about two to three meters tall. If you see one, blast it." He waved his men to follow as they slowly walked the perimeter of the park staying on the pavement of the street. They were warned that the monsters could burrow and they didn't want to give the things a chance to come up from under the ground and take a victim.  
  
The Sailor Senshi which comprised of Sailors Venus, Moon, Io, Neptune and Uranus were not enlightened about the creatures habits or descriptions so they ran straight into the park avoiding pockets of fire as they zigzagged towards the nest. A few minutes passed as the girls slowly edged their way to the smoldering depression and scouted the ground for any sign of life.  
  
Sailor Venus was the first to say something. "Well, I guess we're late. Nothing left but a smelly pile of ash." Venus coughed, as did the other Senshi. The smoke was dying down but the fumes were very toxic to normal people. The Senshi's magic powers allowed the girls to breath the fumes without passing out; it didn't prevent the magic users from feeling ill.  
  
Sailor Neptune cast a small "Deep Submerge" spell to create some water to put out the flames. She jumped back as the flames erupted since water mixed with napalm caused the fire to increase in intensity instead of being doused.   
  
Sailor Io felt danger from below their position. "Girls, I think the nest is directly below us." She took a step away from her position and shouted her magic spell. "Lava Blast!" She threw a ball of lava at the ground causing a small explosion. The ground shifted and sank a meter. "Uranus! Could you give me a hand?"  
  
Uranus took a position next to Io. "World Shaking!" She hit the ground hard with her spell and the ground collapsed even further. Uranus smirked, "Don't worry Io. You're not the only one with a single spell." She patted the smaller dark haired Senshi on the back and waved the others to join them.  
  
Io's eye twitched a bit. She thought, "Yeah, I know only a single spell, but let me see you do a Hiryu Shoten Ha or a Bakusai Tenketsu."  
  
Sailor Venus whistled to the group. The others turned to face her as she stomped on the manhole cover she was standing on. The cover popped up off the ground and she held it above her head. "Hey guys, why not use the back door instead?" She smiled. The other senshi gave innocent looks at each other as they realized they should have checked for an obvious entrance instead of blasting everything in sight.  
  
Sailor Moon stood at the rim of the sewer tunnel entrance peering down into the black depths. She pulled out her scepter and held it firmly in her hand. "Ready to crack some eggs?" She jumped down into the darkness without thinking about what she was jumping into.  
  
Neptune extended her arms to try to catch her impulsive princess. "Moon! Don't!" She waved her arms in circles as she lost her balance and fell in headfirst after her highness. Uranus leapt down after her beloved.  
  
Tuxedo Mask appeared out of nowhere and jumped down after Sailor Moon. Venus tossed aside the manhole cover nonchalantly with her Senshi strength. Sailor Io and Venus both shrugged as they saw they were left behind and jumped down as well.  
  
Sailor Moon whined as she attempted to feel her way around using her scepter as a blind man's cane. "Why is it so dark down here?" She was in a large sewer tunnel; square in shape that was four meters across and four meters high. There was five centimeters of standing water on the ground and the place smelled, well, like a sewer.  
  
Sailor Io produced a ball of glowing hot lava in her hand for illumination. "Maybe because we're in an underground SEWER tunnel." Io held her nose with her free hand and tried not to throw up from the stench.  
  
Venus gagged from the odor of the stuff she was stepping on. The description of the substance would cause most readers to projectile vomit immediately. "EWWW!" She stepped out of the gunk and told herself to transform again at the first opportunity to get the gooey material off of her shoes.  
  
Io looked down one direction of the tunnel and then the other. She pointed in a direction. "This way." She carefully walked down the tunnel where her danger sense told her not to go. The five Senshi and the caped masked man went single file into the darkness with only Io's red glow giving them light to see by.  
  
They traveled for a short distance before coming to a stop at a section of wall that was pushed into the tunnel from where the mother Godzilla was digging and had crushed the tunnel shut. Io and Moon examined the tunnel with the yellow-skirted Senshi giving her opinion. "I sense that something is behind this pile of rocks. We need to get through."  
  
Tuxedo Mask knelt down a little and looked into a small opening that went through to the other side of the shattered concrete. The tunnel wasn't completely sealed off, but the hole was far too narrow for anyone to crawl through. "Io, could you hold your light right here please?"  
  
Io moved next to the hole and held her light near the narrow opening. "Here you go. Be careful, my lava's hot."  
  
Tuxedo Mask moved back as the heat had surprised him. He looked in the hole and saw a green reptilian eye staring back at him. "Oh boy." The eye blinked and moved away. There was a muffled roar from the other side of the debris. The caped man turned to his future wife, "Moon, there's something alive in there."  
  
"No kidding." Io muttered. She took a look and saw nothing but darkness. She heard digging coming from the other side and it set off her danger alarm. "Everyone! Get back!" She ran past a frightened Sailor Moon and grabbed Venus's hand to drag her away with her. Uranus and Neptune took attack stances and backed away. Tuxedo Mask lifted up Moon and jumped to safety as the concrete debris began to shudder from an unseen force.  
  
Sailor Moon had little hearts flying from her head as her big strong man was carrying her away. "Oh Tuxedo Mask!" She swooned.  
  
Io and Venus took positions behind Neptune and Uranus and watched the two lovebirds run behind them. Venus clasped her arms together and felt romantic vibes. "Oh, how I wish I had a boyfriend who would carry me off like that!"  
  
Io dropped her head in shame. "Why did I agree to be a Senshi?"  
  
There was an impact on the barrier. A growl was heard and something large struck the concrete again causing a chuck to fall out onto the floor of the sewer tunnel. Uranus held her hands ready to cast her spell. "World..."  
  
Neptune held her stance. "Deep..." Io tossed her ball of lava into the newly formed opening and it bounced and splattered in the tube leaving a red halo. The face of a baby Godzilla was clearly visible staring back biting the gravel. It was trying to use its claws and teeth to scrape the edges of the hole to get to the Senshi. It was moments away from to digging its way out.  
  
Uranus and Neptune both sent their attack spells right into the face of the three-meter tall lizard blowing it to small pieces. The resulting shock caused the rest of the debris to clear away leaving a one and a half meter wide opening to the far side. A loud rustling was heard as numerous creatures stumbled around from being startled from the loud bang from the Outer Senshi's magic. Io threw several balls of lava into the pitch blackness to use them as makeshift flares. The girls saw that the tunnel went on for only a few meters more and then became a giant underground cavern.   
  
Io leapt through the hole, flipped and landed on the concrete ledge. A hatched egg sat near the small ledge that remained before the concrete floor stopped and blackness began. She sensed creatures below her but not anywhere near the ledge. She created several more balls of lava and tossed them everywhere below. She took a step aside as Uranus and Neptune crawled in and stood on the five-meter long length of remaining tunnel.  
  
Below them was an awesome sight, the floor of the hollowed out chamber was covered with over one hundred Godzilla eggs in various states of hatching. The ground was in full motion as the surface was alive with reptilian flesh ebbing and flowing in a sea of life. Dozens of beasts growled and snapped at each other as they feasted on several unlucky eggs that didn't hatch in time before their staving siblings decided that they couldn't wait for a meal. Venus, Tuxedo Mask and Moon joined the group and the five girls nodded to each other in agreement. They formed a line and cast their spells.  
  
"World Shaking!"  
  
"Deep Submerge!"  
  
"Lava Blast!"  
  
"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!"  
  
"Crescent Beam!"  
  
The magic attacks lit up the cavern like a professional fireworks display. A dozen creatures were felled and another dozen were stunned. Eggshell fragments went flying everywhere and the ground shook. The entire chamber was unstable to begin with and the magical explosions didn't help. The girls held onto each other as the ledge they were standing on collapsed under them.  
  
Sailor Venus cast out, "Venus Love Me Chain!" She threw her magic at the ceiling and grabbed Sailor Io's hand and the two of them swung across the cavern to safety. They made it two-thirds of the way across before the ceiling that held the magic chain broke and the two girls plummeted into a pile of broken eggs.  
  
Uranus and Neptune landed on a rock outcropping next to two hatching eggs. Uranus punched one baby in the jaw and tripped the other one in the knee to knock it off the ledge to its friends below. Neptune called out to the Princess of the Moon who had fallen below somewhere. "Sailor Moon! Where are you?" The lava that Io had thrown for light fizzled out and the light from the magic attacks was fading rapidly. Neptune had a difficult time seeing anything as the room plunged once more into darkness.  
  
"Oh my head." Io rubbed the bump in her head and slid off the unconscious body of Sailor Venus. She took stock of how badly up the creek she was as she heard growls from at least six directions. "Oh boy. Thunder Hammer Strike!" She threw a ball of ki at the nearest creature that was only standing two meters away and blew it backwards into its friends. The light from her ki flashed in the room stunning the other beasts as they reeled back while their eyes adjusted to the sudden temporary brightness. Io grabbed Venus under her arm and jumped into the air to a ledge she had caught a glimpse of in the instant she was able to see.  
  
Neptune saw the cowering form of Sailor Moon from the sudden light that Io provided. She jumped down next to her leader and scooped her up and jumped back while Tuxedo Mask threw roses on some very shocked babies' noses as a distraction. Neptune returned to the ledge with Uranus and the tall blonde Senshi finished pummeling the last baby and kicked it down to the floor of the nest.  
  
Io landed on a narrow ledge of another broken sewer tunnel entrance. Venus groaned in her arms. "Are we there yet?" Io patted Venus' face to awaken the former Sailor V. Venus stood up are shook her head to force herself to full alertness. Venus was pissed off and she pointed her finger at the bottom of the nest. "Crescent Beam Shower!" She sent a solid beam of magic and cut down five babies in a single attack.  
  
Io was pleased with what Venus was doing. The room was perfectly lit from Venus' magic. "Keep it up. I can see perfectly while you're doing that." Io picked out a target and threw her magic at it. "Lava Blast!" A baby exploded in a red ball of flame.  
  
Neptune, Uranus, Io and Moon had no problem picking out targets and wasting the man sized lizards as Venus cast her beam over and over again to dispose of targets and light up the room. The nest became a killing floor as the creatures scrambled around to find an escape but found none. Tuxedo Mask watched over his fiance with pride. The girls felt good since they finally had the situation under control. It was a refreshing change of pace.  
  
  
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Sailor Jupiter was keeping watch from the passenger seat of the speedboat that she and Neo Sailor Moon were in. She scanned the surface of the water looking for any debris from a crashed helicopter. She saw arms flailing in the water in the eerie moonlight directly ahead. "Moon, slow down. I think they're over there." She pointed out the people in the water.  
  
Neo Sailor Moon pulled back the throttle and slowed the boat to only a few knots in velocity. She coasted the craft until it was only a few meters away from a very waterlogged Senshi of the Sun. She cut the throttle and turned to the four people in the water. "Hey guys! Need a lift?"  
  
Sailor Sun had had enough of being drenched and holding an injured man above the surface of the water. She only tolerated the water since she had strained her magic powers to the breaking point and without sunlight to recharge, she couldn't teleport. "Funny." She kicked her booted feet to propel herself to the edge of the boat. "Can you pull this guy out? He probably got a concussion."  
  
Sailor Jupiter bent down and grabbed Alain and pulled him out of the water and placed him in the back seat of the boat. Paul and Philippe swam next to the boat and tried to get in. Jupiter waved them off. "You can wait until the harbor patrol picks you up." She turned to look at several boats that were approaching and would be at their position in a few minutes.  
  
Sailor Sun ducked under the water and burst out like a fish and landed on the boat. "If it's ok, I promised them a quick exit." She reached over and pulled Paul out of the water. A moment later Philippe was in the boat.  
  
Philippe ducked down as low as he could go. "Remember your promise."  
  
Sailor Sun grimaced. "Ok. Ok. Just wait until daybreak will ya!"  
  
Jupiter asked. "Anyone else we need to pick up?"  
  
Philippe answered. "No, just us. Can we go now? I'd like to get some dry clothes."  
  
Neo Moon needed no more prodding. She hit the throttle and the craft lurched forward and then turned the boat back to whence they came. "Yeah!" She felt good driving this antique boat. It was much more fun to drive than the 30th century hoverbike she had back home.  
  
Sailor Sun concentrated her ki and dried herself leaving her with a thin coating of salt on her body. She brushed off the dust from her fuku. "I'm so glad I don't have to wash this thing." Sun sat next to Jupiter since the French took the entire back seat.  
  
The gas giant Senshi scooted aside to give some room the star Senshi sharing the narrow seat. "Well Sun, how did you kill that one?" Jupiter pointed her thumb towards the rear of the craft where the explosion was.  
  
"Oh... Uh..." Sun fidgeted. Philippe shot her a glare of death. "I... Uh..."  
  
"Well? Did you use Solar Flare or was it a new spell?" Jupiter was curious if Sun's power had grown again. She was hoping that Sun could help her grow her powers.  
  
"Yeah, it was a Solar Flare attack. Yeah... That's it!" Sun twiddled her thumbs. She was so glad Akane wasn't in the boat. She would've spotted her lie a kilometer away.  
  
Philippe watched the red haired Senshi carefully. He was going to teach her how to tell the story they had agreed upon better. He had to make sure that the Senshi were blamed for the explosion in the bay because if the nuke was blamed on the French, it would be very embarrassing. Philippe's job was to prevent France from being embarrassed at any cost. Besides, it was the red-head's fault anyway.  
  
  
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An attack helicopter was patrolling the areas near the park. It flew just over the rooftops in an effort to spot anything unusual. The pilot was attracted to a group of smoke plumes and building damage in a street south of the park. The pilot radioed in his finding. "Base, I've spotted a giant carcass about fifteen blocks south of the park. It's a real mess down there."  
  
The street was covered in Godzilla parts and chunks of burnt flesh that were expelled when the beast exploded. The monster was laying face down and spread-eagled flat with a the spine completely destroyed by some sort of laser beam. The wound was burned and charred with the head of the massive creature absolutely shattered. The chopper circled around the body. The pilot noticed something unusual about the carcass. "Base, are there men at the location already? I'm seeing movement around the body."  
  
The operator at the Tokyo Tower command center turned to his companion. "Do we have anyone at this location." He pointed to a dot on his monitor showing a map of Tokyo.  
  
The other operator shook his head. "Not that I know of. Everyone is currently at the park or on patrol. Maybe one of the patrols is there." He got on his radio. "Any patrol in sight of a Godzilla carcass directly south of Shiba Park?"  
  
Patrols started to report in with all of them saying that they are either in transit or in a rescue operation. None of the patrols reported being near a dead creature.  
  
The helicopter pilot saw the side of the monster fall over exposing the ribcage and gave him a clear view of the interior of the smoldering mound. The entire chest cavity was filled with eggs and baby Godzillas. The creatures streamed out in a mass procession and in moments the street was filled with ravenous children. "Base! I have a sighting! Send in troops to my location and have them fully armed!"  
  
"Say again?"  
  
"The street's covered with reptiles. I count at least fifty, maybe even a hundred of them. They are littering the street directly south of the park at a distance of fifteen blocks. There is no way you can miss them. I need support. Request permission to engage." He powered up his chain gun and checked the status of the weapon to begin firing.  
  
The operator hit a few switches on his console. "Can you give me a camera feed?" A moment later, the view screen had a shot for the nose camera of the helicopter and it showed a scene right out of the movie "Aliens". Hundreds of three-meter tall babies covered the street and were moving in a herd toward the south away from the soldiers.  
  
The operator dropped his coffee cup from his hand. "COMMANDER!"  
  
  
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Sailor Mercury sat next to her resting teammate. "What you did was very brave Mars."  
  
"Wasn't nothing. You'd of done it if you were in my place." Mars twitched under her blanket. She was very uncomfortable being half-naked on a stretcher.  
  
Mercury nodded in agreement. "Yes, you're right. We've already given up our lives before. Why do we have to suffer like this?" She petted the hair of her friend.  
  
Mars smiled. "It's a living." She lifted her head and took a look around. They were in a corner behind a communications truck. Mercury had moved the stretcher to a more private location so that Mars could heal without anyone bothering her. Mars asked her guardian. "Hey, could you check if anyone is looking?"  
  
Mercury moved her head from side to side. "No one's looking at us right now. Why?"  
  
Mars pulled the blanket over her head to hide her body. A moment later a hand stuck out holding a henshin stick. "Mars star power! Make up!" The blanket lifted in the air and spin around as Sailor Mars transformed under it. She landed in a pose in a fresh set of clothes and her make up was freshly applied. Mercury caught her as she collapsed from her still existent injuries.  
  
Mercury gently put her friend back down on the stretcher. "Why'd you do that?"  
  
"I'm not lying on a bed with my backside exposed in a command center full of perverts." Mars said matter-of-factly.  
  
"You've got a point." Mercury put the blanket back on her companion as she once again was lying on her stomach to let her burns heal from the magic of the transformation.  
  
The men around her started shouting orders and vehicles drove off in a hurry. The activity around them was obvious that something big was happening. Mercury got up to investigate. "Wait here."  
  
Mars mumbled. "As if I'm going anywhere."  
  
The Mercury princess peered around a corner and overheard conversation fragments. "Apache two and four, approach from the south." "They're still in a group." "They're converging near Pine Furniture Emporium." "We've spotted them!" "Hold your position." "Keep them bottled up." "We'll be ready to strafe in five minutes." "Don't rocket them unless they're going to breach the perimeter." "Give us another minute to stabilize the M-60s." "I said, hold your position!"  
  
Mercury pieced together that the baby Godzillas must have escaped. She emerged from her hiding place and entered the mobile command center. The operators looked at the Senshi and ignored her since they were in crisis mode. Mercury looked at the monitors and saw scenes of troop movements, aerial views and a mass of creatures approaching a street corner.  
  
Mercury's mind clicked. She ran out of the truck and jumped over to Mars' stretcher. "Mars, I've got to go!" Without another word she jumped to the rooftops and out of sight.  
  
Mars watched the dust cloud that remained of Mercury's departure settle. "What was that for?"  
  
  
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"What's that noise?" Ukyou held her battle spatula at the ready. There was a sound of a helicopter flying overhead. It was followed by a growl that came from everywhere.  
  
"Shampoo no know. Maybe you hungry? Shampoo no bring ramen today." Shampoo sensed something wrong and fell into an attack stance and took mental notes of her surroundings.  
  
Konatsu pulled out his short sword in one hand and a throwing star in the other. "That's not the mistress' stomach. I sense at least five... Uh... Opponents coming from outside."  
  
Ukyou reached for the communicator. She dialed Sailor Io's extension. "Io here."  
  
"Io, we've got a problem. I think something's here with me."  
  
Sailor Io was busy dealing with the group of baby Godzillas below her. "I'll send someone there. Io out." Sailor Io jumped to avoid a baby's breath weapon. "Lava Blast!" Another baby came from behind her and bit at her. Io dropped her communicator in her surprise and threw a ki blast to stun her newest attacker. The blast hit the wall showering the tunnel opening with pebbles and threw Io and her communicator down into the nest. Io had only one thing to say. "Shit!"  
  
Ukyou pocketed Sailor Sun's communicator. She hadn't heard Io's colorful vocabulary. "I've called the cavalry."  
  
Shampoo focused her attention to the outside as well. "Shampoo feel maybe ten outside. No, now fifteen." She turned to Ukyou after having seen her call in the Senshi. "Shampoo know you have connection with Senshi. Is Ukyou Senshi?"  
  
Ukyou focused on the sounds that were getting louder and spoke in sarcasm, "Yeah, I'm Sailor Mars."  
  
"Shampoo knew it! Change now." Shampoo had a look of glee.  
  
"Sorry Sugar. My skirt's at the cleaners. I'm just as normal as you and Konatsu." Ukyou instantly regretted making that remark. She was comparing herself to a cross-dressing kunoichi and a girl who changed into a cat.  
  
The three warriors spun to the left as a dresser drawer fell over. Ukyou called out a challenge. "Who's there? Show yourself."  
  
A growl replied and a slithering sound followed. Another growl was heard from the other side of the darkened store. Shampoo held her Chinese sword out at the ready and her bonbori in her other hand as a shield. "Shampoo no think opponent is man."  
  
Ukyou gripped her spatula tightly. "Get around the Senshi in the bed. We have to protect them. Konatsu, do you have a flashlight or anything we can shine on our guests?"  
  
Konatsu put his star back in his pocket and pulled out a small penlight. He turned it on and flashed it into a dark corner. There was a crash and he shone the light on an overturned trashcan that rolled on the floor. He followed the sound with the light until it hit a dark green leather curtain. Konatsu squinted his eyes and got a good look at the rough texture as it slowly moved. "Mistress, look over there."  
  
Ukyou turned her head to look as an open mouth filled with sharp teeth lunged at her. Ukyou spun her spatula and smacked the baby in the head knocking it aside. She twirled her body around and sliced the head of the creature clean off as she completed her three hundred sixty degree dance.  
  
"Aiya!" Shouted Shampoo as two creatures lunged from the shadows to kill her. She jumped in the air and planted each foot on each monster to distract them. She landed behind one and stabbed her sword in its back. The baby twisted in pain and pulled the sword away from Shampoo's grip. The Amazon jumped back and pulled out her second bonbori to protect herself from the attack of the baby's partner.  
  
The main entry of the store was rattled as several creatures hopped in like kangaroos through the broken windows. The street was filled with the three-meter tall iguana rejects.  
  
Konatsu jumped on the ceiling and stuck there as the 'curtain' in front of him jumped to where he was standing. Konatsu fell off the roof and planted his short sword into the creature's neck and sliced the throat quickly. He kicked the beast away while retracting his blade. He leapt into the air and did a flip between a group of three animals and led them toward the front door away from the other girls.  
  
Shampoo sensed another creature behind her to add to the two she was already facing. She judged that her martial arts skill was not enough against several of these things at the same time and she couldn't run. She saw that her sword was going to be difficult to remove from the impaled Godzilla and she flipped in the air to avoid the teeth that closed where her leg once was. Shampoo bounced off the head of the creature and jumped near the bed. "Ukyou, we can't stay! We must retreat!"  
  
"We have to protect them!" Ukyou held her spatula like a shield as four more creatures came from where Konatsu was defending but wasn't anymore. A Godzilla growled and lowered its head as it tried to figure out how to bite Ukyou around her metal shield. Two of the Godzillas took an interest in the bed the girls were trying to defend and moved around the chef to check it out. "Konatsu! I need your help!"  
  
Konatsu fell from the ceiling again right on top of one of the two Godzillas. He slit its throat and its friend smashed the kunoichi with its tail sending him flying. The injured Godzilla spurt blood from the wound and convulsed as its body fell onto a bedroom mirror shattering it. The other creature sniffed its dying friend and turned to hunt Konatsu.  
  
Ukyou took a second to watch the creature hunt her kunoichi and she threw a pair of spatulas at the tall beast. One bounced off its dorsal spine while the other imbedded into the neck. The creature yelped and used its claw to pull out the utensil. The monster turned to face Ukyou and its backside glowed blue.  
  
Ukyou went pale. "Shampoo! They can breathe!"  
  
Shampoo was busy dancing around three hungry Godzillas and was tiring fast. "Shampoo can see they breathe. Shampoo want to make green lizard stop breathing." She saw an opening and struck one on the neck with her bonbori to stun it. The creature fell unconscious on the floor. Shampoo flipped backward to avoid a bite and landed on the Senshi's bed. She kicked a second Godzilla in the head causing it to bite its own tongue making it roar in pain.  
  
Shampoo took a moment to see what Ukyou was talking about. She saw the one creature raising what looked like a battle aura and was deeply inhaling. Ukyou was busy fending off a pair of creatures with her spatula. Ukyou jumped in the air at the precise moment the glowing baby breathed a ball of flame at the okonomiyaki master. Ukyou held her spatula out to stop the flames from reaching her and her giant baker's peel started to glow red from the heat. Ukyou dropper her weapon the moment the fire stopped and she unsheathed her katana and sliced the monster's head off with a single stroke. Ukyou held her sword above her head and stood on one leg in a battle stance.  
  
Shampoo glanced downward and saw the glint of silver from the Silence Glaive. She hopped off the bed and grabbed the Senshi weapon and jumped back onto the bed. A Godzilla was sniffing Sailor Pluto who just woke up with a surprised look on her face. Shampoo made a downward swing with the blade of the Glaive and chopped the head off the Godzilla dropping the body part right on Pluto's stomach. The Senshi pushed the head off of herself. Shampoo kicked the body away and stabbed another Godzilla in the chest. The Glaive sliced the creature like a warm knife through ice cream and she had no problem removing the blade from her victim to face another opponent.  
  
Sailor Pluto knew she only had one shot before she would pass out again from her previous injuries. She saw a group of three Godzillas getting close to Konatsu who was getting back up to rejoin the fight. He was slithering away from the trio of monsters. "Dead Scream." She whispered as a bolt of magic flew from her hand and incinerated the three instantly. Pluto rolled her eyes into her head and fell backwards into her pillow and she was out like a light again.  
  
Ukyou heard the sound of the magic attack. "Pluto!" She took a step forward to see if the Senshi could join in the combat when a bedroom mirror went flying and struck the chef to the ground.  
  
"Ukyou!" Konatsu screamed as he jumped over a bed to approach his mistress. A Godzilla got in the way and tried to bite the kunoichi. Konatsu threw a star at the beast, which bounced off of its thick skull. The creature breathed at the ninja and he had to retreat to avoid getting scorched. The furniture behind him caught fire and lit up the room. The three warriors got a good look at how bad the situation was. There were over twenty babies in the store and the fire attracted more from the crowd in the intersection outside.  
  
Shampoo had another two more Godzillas to deal with. "How many ugly lizard are there?" She spun the Silence Glaive over her head as if she had been born to use it. She drew from her skill of years of weapons training and became at one with the Silence Glaive. Shampoo cut open one beast and the other tried to use its breath weapon on the Amazon. She used the rear end of the Glaive to force the monster's mouth closed and it caused the fireball to explode right in front of the lizard's face. It shook its head in surprise as the head then became detached from the body in a follow up swing.  
  
Ukyou slid out from under the mirror and swung her katana into the chest of another baby. She rolled on the floor to avoid the inert beast from landing on her. She jumped up and charged two others that came too close to Shampoo. She sliced the ribcage of one and continued the swing into the fleshy part of the neck of the other. Both creatures fell to the ground. Ukyou concentrated her skill and swung the katana again hitting her next mark. She was so focused on the two remaining beasts in front of her that a third jumped her from behind.  
  
Ukyou was shoved forward as the three toed feet dug into her back. Another beast knocked off the one that had Ukyou pinned and it jumped on her in its place. It pressed down on Ukyou's back to keep the girl down. The chef screeched in pain and struggled to free herself or move into a position to strike with her blade. The Godzilla that stood on her was almost in glee as it lowered its head to feast on the chef's leg. It bit down hard on her left leg below the knee and snapped it in cleanly off. It lifted its head to chew down on the meal. Ukyou screamed in agony and dropped her katana.  
  
The beast never got another chance to attack the chef again. Konatsu was enraged and instantly appeared next to Ukyou. He aimed his short sword and swung the blade halving the neck in two killing the beast that dared to harm Ukyou. Silently, he lunged at another monster with the blade and made wild swings to keep it away from the one person who mattered more to him than life itself. He wasn't going to let them anywhere near the only person he truly loved.  
  
Shampoo wanted to rush to Ukyou's aid. She couldn't abandon her post since another five more creatures came in the front entryway. She poked one with the blunt end of her staff and stabbed another when she pulled the weapon back. She kicked away a third beast and twirled her body with the blade pointed outwards to ward off the rest from her position.  
  
Ukyou reached up to her hair and pulled off her bandanna. She flipped her body over and tied the cloth around her wound to stop the bleeding. She didn't feel any pain since the shock numbed her leg. She knew she only had moments before she was going to be out of commission.  
  
The fire sprinklers came on over the back of the store where some furniture was on fire from previous breath weapon attacks. The fires were doused in moments sending the room back into a dimly lit state.  
  
Konatsu swung wildly keeping four monsters at bay. He couldn't find an opening to send in a killing blow to reduce their numbers. One snapped at him and he plunged his ninja sword into the beast's skull. He pulled it out as the reptile shook its head in reflex snapping the blade in half. Konatsu stared at the six centimeters of metal protruding out of the hilt and gulped. He jumped out of the way as two heads collided where he was. The ninja saw a glint of steel from the back of one of the four. He bounced off of one Godzilla and stuck to the ceiling and crawled just above the injured monster with a sword in its back. He fell and grabbed Shampoo's Chinese scimitar and yanked it out. The creature fell when the wound was ripped open by the kunoichi's action. Konatsu spun around and sliced off a claw from creature behind him.  
  
The spatula girl finished tying her tourniquet and grabbed her katana just as a creature started sniffing at the human blood on the ground. She lunged the blade into the creatures chest right into the heart and kicked with her right leg to get rid of the body. Ukyou used her free hand to lift herself up on a single leg. Her adrenaline rush gave her superhuman strength to carry out her mission. She lifted the stump of her left leg to help keep the blood pressure from bursting her makeshift bandage. She hopped twice to get away from the bed to lead the creatures with her blood as bait. "Over here you bastards! Here's lunch! Get it while it's fresh!" She tripped and fell. She struggled to stay awake since the blood loss was already beginning to affect her.  
  
Several Godzillas turned to the chef's challenge. The smell of blood was overpowering and they moved as a unit towards the prey. Shampoo took the opportunity to waste the last three beasts around her.  
  
Outside of the store, there was the sound of helicopters and gunfire. A street fight broke out and a helicopter gunship began a strafing run. The Godzillas that were huddled outside of the furniture store fell like dominoes. The rest scattered in every direction.  
  
Ukyou saw her life flash before her eyes. Five beasts grouped around her and she swung at one lopping its head off while another bit down on her other hand severing several fingers. Ukyou closed her eyes and she dreamed of Ranma as she slipped away.  
  
Konatsu came from the side and kicked with all his might knocking the beasts into each other. One turned to snap at the ninja while another two were shish-k-bobbed from a Glaive strike. Shampoo yanked out the weapon and the remaining two monsters jumped back and ran out of the store into the chaos in the street.  
  
Rockets were fired into a group of Godzillas and explosions burst everywhere. Chain gun fire followed with the prehistoric screams of mini dinosaurs dying. Shampoo shot a glance at Konatsu as he tended to Ukyou's fresh wounds. The Amazon ran back to the bed and dispatched the last creature who dared approach the Senshi ignoring the pain she felt from the dozens of cuts she had on her own body.  
  
The room quickly cleared out as the Godzillas panicked and explosions echoed outside. Shampoo was in a beserker rage hunting down each and every creature that caught her eye. Every ten seconds a Godzilla would jump into the store to avoid being shot only to be disemboweled by a skilled Amazon warrior.   
  
Konatsu patched up Ukyou's hand with a piece of fabric from his cotton shirt sleeve. He paused for a moment to throw a star into the chest of an injured Godzilla that tried to get up. He lifted up Ukyou's severed leg and covered the stump with his entire shirt. "Please don't leave me." He begged Ukyou, the gods and any other being that would listen to his prayers. Konatsu was never more frightened before in his life.  
  
Ukyou gasped. "Ugh..." She gripped her kunoichi's hand and squeezed it tight.  
  
"Stay awake Ukyou. Please stay with me." Konatsu pleaded. He once again checked his location to ensure that they were in no immediate danger. Shampoo was running around like a mad woman shouting battle cries.  
  
The intersection was a war zone. Soldiers were converging from all directions and were blasting with rockets, RPGs, M-60s and a jeep mounted anti-tank weapon. Godzillas were running and jumping in all directions. Some tried to charge the soldiers but were mowed down by dozens of M-16s firing explosive rounds.  
  
The street was littered with the bodies of dozens of giant lizards. A helicopter flew down the street with a chain gun and filled two struggling creatures full of lead reducing them to perforated goo.  
  
Sailor Mercury gasped at the carnage below her. She was perched on a rooftop and saw the Pine Furniture Emporium where her friends here hiding. She jumped down into the street and ran as some soldiers fired on her by mistake. She jumped into the open window frame and held her hands ready to cast an attack spell.  
  
Shampoo sensed the new arrival was human before she was about to chop her up. It saved Mercury's life since the Amazon was in kill first and shoot later mode. "Who there?"  
  
"I'm Sailor Mercury. I've come to help."  
  
"Help spatula girl. She hurt." Shampoo pointed the Glaive to a corner near the bed she was guarding. "Aiya!" She jumped off trailing her purple locks behind her as she turned another Godzilla baby into ramen.  
  
Mercury ran over to Ukyou and examined her hand and chest. "She's hurt really bad. Oh god." She noticed that Ukyou was missing half of her leg. Mercury bit her lip and looked at Ukyou's pale face.  
  
Ukyou grabbed Mercury's hand. She lifted her head to see the Senshi still safe in bed surrounded by dead lizards. "I.. We... F-Fought..."  
  
"Don't speak Ukyou." Mercury checked the bandage on the leg.  
  
"G-Good..." Ukyou stuttered and fell. Konatsu dropped his head down and prayed.  
  
  
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Sailor Sun gasped and fell to the floor of the speedboat. She felt a cold chill in her soul. "Ukyou..."  
  
  
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Sailor Io's blood ran cold. She shuddered from her position next to Sailor Venus and paused her attacks. "No..."  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and keeps me from building a freeway off ramp in your back yard.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 13th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	16. Warriors united

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 16 Warriors united  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or give me a one-way ticket to Iraq.  
  
  
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Sailor Sun felt a wave of despair come over her. She formed a look of determination, raised her fist in the air and pulled it down to cast a spell. "Sun Beam Trammmmmm!" Neo Sailor Moon clamped her hand on the redhead's mouth to interrupt her teleportation spell.  
  
Sun mumbled as she pulled her arm down again like she was pulling a brake cord to stop a bus. "Mmm mmmm mmmmmmmmm!" She was determined to invoke her teleportation magic to beam over to Ukyou's location.  
  
Neo Moon kept one hand on the steering wheel of the speedboat and the other stuffed in Sun's mouth. "Look Sun, it's still dark. The sun won't be up for at least another twenty, maybe thirty minutes." She clamped down tighter as Sun squirmed to get away. "You teleport now and you'll fall asleep and get in the way. You wouldn't want that now would you?" Neo Moon released her grip once Sun relaxed and stopped screaming her spell phrase into Neo Moon's hand.  
  
Sun felt behind her heart shaped broach that decorated her front yellow bow on her dress looking for her communicator that she had kept hidden there. She silently cursed as she remembered that she gave the little pink calculator looking thing to Ukyou. She turned to the Senshi seated next to her. "Jupiter, could you call my communicator? Ukyou has it. I've got know what's going on with her. I had a bad feeling about her."  
  
Sailor Jupiter nodded and dialed Sun's extension on her communicator wristwatch. The Senshi only had watches for the nine main Senshi and Tuxedo Mask. Artemis hadn't gotten around to making watch communicators for Io or Sun yet since the cat didn't think it was a rush job. Sun hadn't asked Artemis to hurry up and get her a watch since he was a feline and Sun did everything she could to avoid any contact with the white furred claw repository. Sun hated cats. She hated anything to do with cats. She couldn't even say the word cat without stuttering.  
  
Jupiter's watch made a tone as it tried to connect to Sun's communicator. It beeped several times and then went to Sailor Sun's obnoxious voice mail message. "You've reached the voice mailbox of Sailor Sun. This had better be important! Have a nice day. BEEP!"  
  
Jupiter spoke leaving a message. "Talk to Artemis about getting you a wrist communicator you coward." She cut the line. Sun twitched her eyebrows at the mention of the name Artemis. Jupiter asked, "Sun, what's wrong? Why are you asking about Ukyou?"  
  
Sun stopped twitching and stared at the approaching dock. She gauged that it was about a minute before they were close enough for her to jump to shore to run to the furniture store where she last saw her friend. "Ucchan's in trouble. I know it." She turned to Moon. "Something bad happened. You know what the future might be. Please tell me it'll be all right. Please?" Sun begged.  
  
Neo Moon was expressionless. She tried to push the throttle forward but it already was at maximum speed. She didn't turn to look at Sailor Sun's pleading face. She kept the boat on course and let a tear slip out.  
  
  
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Sailor Io was not having a good time. Her communicator had fallen out of her hands and she tried three times to retrieve it from the pit of hungry pseudo dinosaurs. Each time she jumped down to get it; she had to leap back to keep from being torn apart by claws and razor sharp teeth or roasted in fire breath. Only her crowd control skills that she had learned from beating up the mass of boys sent by Tatewaki Kuno in her sophomore year at Furinkan kept her from being lizard food. She felt good at being able to keep several creatures at bay at the same time with her martial arts skill. She jumped out of the fray again and threw down a spell at the horde that had tried to attack her. "Lava Blast!" She blew up another baby Godzilla and landed like a gymnast on the ledge above.  
  
Sailor Venus was several meters in the air suspended by her Love Me Chain attached to the ceiling to rain down Crescent Beam spells from directly above. The light she was producing from her magical attacks turned her into a perfect chandelier. She had run out of targets to shoot at so she kept her beam on for the sake of illumination. Sailor Io and Moon could sense where the living creatures were from all the bodies and debris that covered the floor of the dug out cavern. They blasted the few remaining stragglers into tiny pieces.  
  
Tuxedo Mask had to hold on to his princess once in a while to keep her from falling into the pit below. It wasn't that she was clumsy at the moment. When she was in Senshi form, she had combat skills that were above average in Tokyo but considered pitiful in Nerima. The ledge she stood on kept crumbling away, causing her to almost slip and fall in the chaos below several times.  
  
Neptune and Uranus stood on an adjacent outcropping sending blasts whenever they saw any movement in the pit. Five minutes of solid spell casting had the five Senshi tired beyond belief. Io called out. "Everyone! I think they're all dead."  
  
Io closed her eyes and concentrated all her senses on the scene before her. She sent two more Lava Blasts to pick off the last survivors and meditated. She felt no more life below her. "We got them!" She let her mind drift from the combat and had an image flash before her. Io shot her eyes open shivering. She jumped down into the pit and retrieved her communicator from the yolk of a broken unhatched Godzilla egg. The device was disgusting to look at through the goo that covered it but it still worked. She hopped up to the ledge with Sailor Moon. "Moon, I've got to help Ukyou." The Senshi leader was about to speak a reply when Io jumped to the ledge where the team arrived in and ran off.  
  
Moon held her arms to her waist looking up to where Io disappeared. "Well, that was rude."  
  
Sailor Venus watched her friend disappear into the darkness and cast a Venus Love Me Chain to swing after the newest Senshi. "I'm going to follow her." She stopped at the ledge to the entrance tunnel and faced her leader below. "Can you guys do without me?" Venus shot a glance toward the exit as she thought she heard distant gunfire.  
  
The room started to darken as the light from Io's lava and the flames from all the previous attacks began to burn out. Neptune and Uranus looked at their princess for a decision. Moon gulped and put her finger under her collar to loosen it from nervousness. She hated making arbitrary decisions. She stowed her Moon scepter and jumped up to Venus' position. "Let's see what's going on with Ukyou." The princess pointed to the carnage below. "I think the military can handle this now." The other Senshi gathered around their leader and nodded in agreement. They all crawled down the narrow passage into the sewer tunnel and ran under the opening to the street above.  
  
Sailor Moon was the first to emerge from the manhole among a group of soldiers who surrounded the opening and had guns ready. She waved off the men. "Hey! We're the good guys, remember." The men lowered their weapons and stood back.  
  
Tuxedo Mask, Sailors Moon, Venus, Uranus and Neptune quickly got out of the filthy smelling sewer and stood in a small group with numerous soldiers gawking at them. Moon broke the ice. "Have you seen a yellow skirted girl leave here?" Several men nodded. She pointed toward where she knew they left Ukyou. "Did she go that way?" The soldiers nodded again. "Thanks! Oh, and be careful down there. It stinks!" Moon jumped over the soldiers with the other Senshi following.  
  
Uranus paused before she ran after everyone else. "I think we got them all. But be on your guard anyways." She leapt into the air leaving a group of very confused soldiers behind. They had been listening to the sounds of the battle for the last ten minutes and none of them were very enthused on entering the sewer.  
  
  
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Sailor Mercury felt Ukyou's neck to check for a pulse. Ukyou was alive and barely conscious. The Senshi turned suddenly as Shampoo screamed her battle cry again. "Aiya! Where green things come from?" She jumped off of a small dresser drawer in front of another Godzilla baby and stabbed it in the heart with the Silence Glaive.  
  
Mercury stood up in awe at the battle before her. Konatsu was performing distraction techniques and hit and run tactics keeping several monsters busy while occasionally striking a killing blow. Shampoo preferred a more direct approach where she just screamed and spun the Glaive as if it was a rhythmic gymnasts baton. She had to choose her kills carefully since the room was filling quickly with bodies and there was no room for more.  
  
Saturn opened her eyes and sat up in the bed from all the screaming both from Shampoo and dying giant iguanas. She watched in fascination as Shampoo wielded her weapon as if she was born with it. She turned to see Mercury frozen in place and saw a Godzilla emerge from the shadows behind her. Saturn screamed out a warning to Mercury with a raspy faint voice. "L-look out!"  
  
The blue-skirted Senshi turned to her teammate to see what she was talking about. She took a step forward to get closer when a Godzilla slammed into her backside and fell on top of her. Mercury spun around as the beast's heavy weight crushed her onto the carpeted floor. She raised her gloved hands to ward off the creature when she realized it was gasping for air and became still. She pushed the body off of herself and saw Ukyou's katana shoved into the thing's chest.  
  
Ukyou gritted her teeth in agony and pulled back her right hand in support of her body weight. She held her injured left hand on her chest. "Could you give me my katana back Sugar?"  
  
Mercury was flabbergasted. Ukyou should be in shock, a coma or dead from her injuries. The Senshi snapped back into action from her daze and yanked out the katana from the baby's chest and handed the hilt back to Ukyou's right hand. She glanced up and saw Konatsu fending off two creatures that were attracted to Ukyou's bloodstain on the ground. Mercury cast, "Shabon Spray Freezing!" A cloud of freezing mist flew from Mercury's hands, past Konatsu, and encased a baby in ice. Konatsu jumped the remaining creature and slit its throat an instant later.  
  
Sailor Saturn placed her hands on Sailor Pluto's chest to heal the time Senshi's wounds. In moments, Pluto's chest and stomach regained their youthful appearance and the radiation burns she received from the giant Godzilla vanished. Pluto coughed and her eyes fluttered open. She sat up as her strength returned and cast off the blankets. She took good look around, extended her hands whispering. "Dead Scream."  
  
In a few seconds, every living Godzilla in the room was reduced to smoldering ashes as balls of magical energy flew from Pluto's outstretched hands. Konatsu and Shampoo did double takes as their opponents burst into magical flame and fell in piles of dust. They turned to see the source of the blasts and saw a standing Sailor Pluto wearing very little. She held one arm over her breasts and only a tiny shred of her black skirt remained to cover the rest of her. Konatsu averted his gaze and his nose formed a trickle of blood. Shampoo gave a small bow of respect to her fellow warrior. Pluto kept her gaze to the entrance of the store and spoke to Konatsu. "What? Haven't you seen a naked girl before?"  
  
Mercury lowered her arms and went back to Ukyou who was holding another dead Godzilla baby up with her katana plunged deep into its chest. Mercury pushed the baby off of Ukyou and held the chef's head in her hands. "How?"  
  
Ukyou smiled and felt the pain wash over her. "Ask me later..." She closed her eyes and let unconsciousness ease the suffering. Mercury picked up Ukyou and took her over to the bed with Sailor Saturn. Pluto ran behind a wall and invoked her transformation to get another fuku. Shampoo stood guard while Konatsu hid in the shadows watching both the front of the store and keeping an eye on Ukyou.  
  
  
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"Corporal!" Sergeant Yamamura lowered his binoculars. "The main group has retreated. Have the men set their night vision to ultra-violet and hunt down these things. I want four man squads in two by two formations. Keep them in close groups and perform a building-to-building search. I want all of these things dead."  
  
"Got it!" Corporal Utada radioed the orders to the ground troops. The entire area around the giant dead Godzilla was cordoned off to prevent any of the babies from escaping. Numerous squads of heavily armed soldiers were slowly advancing on the monsters that controlled the street. Things looked good for the military since they hadn't lost a single man in the battle and the Godzillas were dropping like flies.  
  
Six Apache AH-2 attack helicopters flew over the area firing an occasional laser guided missile into small groups of creatures. Chains guns were fired in other groups leaving behind a trail of lizard parts wherever they hit their mark. Two helicopters circled an intersection where a high concentration of lizards was seen. "Echo two, this is Echo four. I see about ten targets entering a building."  
  
"Echo four, this is Echo two. I confirm. I have laser lock."  
  
"Echo four has laser lock. Firing missiles."  
  
"Echo two firing missiles."  
  
Twin salvos of laser guided missiles flew from their launchers from the two helicopters after the Godzillas that entered the Pine Furniture Emporium. In moments, the building would be leveled, neutralizing the targets.  
  
  
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Shampoo and Konatsu backed away from the window as another group of Godzillas jumped in. Both martial artists felt their danger sense go into overdrive as the sound of helicopters got louder. "Shampoo think time to go."  
  
"I agree. We can carry Ukyou and the little one out of here." Konatsu jumped onto the ceiling and crawled like a spider over to Ukyou. He dropped down and grabbed his mistress in his arms. "Senshi! Follow me this way!" He jumped over a bed towards the storage room in the back of the store.  
  
Shampoo jumped over to Sailor Saturn and held the little Senshi tight under her arm. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stiffen as the growls behind her got louder. She wasted no time leaping in the air, performing a somersault and landing on a mattress like a trampoline and flying through the open door to the storeroom after Konatsu.  
  
Mercury and Pluto stared at each other for a moment. Pluto raised her hand to cast her spell again when she felt her own danger sense go off. A little voice in her head said. "Get the hell out!" She obeyed the voice by turning tail and running with five three-meter tall iguanas nipping at her back.  
  
Mercury canceled her spell and followed the others at full speed. Her little voice was screaming into her ear. "Go! Go! Go!"  
  
Konatsu reached the loading dock door that separated them from safety. He held Ukyou's katana in his hand and prayed that the sword was strong enough to slice through an aluminum wall. He made a few quick strokes finding that the gods had heard his prayer as a circle of metal fell off revealing an escape route. He jumped out of the hole into the alleyway behind the building.  
  
Konatsu took notice of the fact that he was in deeper trouble than he thought. The alley had five Godzillas huddled around a garbage dumpster munching on the trash from the restaurant on the other side of the alley. He looked at the fire escape above them and jumped to the second floor balcony. He knew he had little time so he held Ukyou over his shoulder and climbed on the outside of the fire escape as fast as he could to get to the roof on the tenth floor.  
  
Shampoo popped out into the alley, took a moment to see where Konatsu went and jumped up after him. An instant later, two frantic Sailor Senshi with more hungry Godzillas behind them followed.  
  
A missile entered the front window of the furniture store scoring a bulls eye. The entire room was engulfed in flames and the concussion ripped several support columns away. The front of the building began to collapse from the lack of support. The second missile entered and hit the floor exploding into a massive fireball. Three baby Godzillas were incinerated instantly while the others were crushed by debris.  
  
Sailors Pluto and Mercury only reached the fourth floor balcony when the alley was bathed in fire. The building they exited fell backwards onto itself and showered the entire area with smoke and dust. Mercury lost her grip and slid down a meter before grabbing onto another iron railing holding on for dear life. Pluto jumped into the air and landed on the sixth floor balcony holding it tight as the air currents pulled the two magical girls downward.  
  
The building that once had a furniture store on the bottom floor completely collapsed and a massive fireball erupted from the ground floor as the explosion was set free from the building that contained it. The entire city block was filled with a deafening roar as the fireball flew into the sky from the alley. Mercury felt her back burning up as the flames licked her uniform and singed her hair. A moment later, the fire disappeared as the upper floors of the building acted as a fire extinguisher by crushing the flames back down to the ground.  
  
Mercury shed a tear in terror. She didn't want to end like this. "Mommy!" She cried as she felt the balcony giving way to send her to her death. Just as gravity took effect on her, she felt herself being lifted skyward as someone violently grabbed her arm and pulled her up. She was shaken around like a rag doll finally ending up on the roof of the building as she was thrown to safety by Konatsu.  
  
Sailor Mercury opened her eyes and saw a very fuzzy world around her. She felt a terrible pain on her back from her injuries and smelt burnt hair. She bolted upright the moment a loud thud was heard next to her as Sailor Pluto landed on her butt from being thrown by Shampoo.  
  
Konatsu and Shampoo nodded to each other as they confirmed that they were successful in rescuing the Senshi. Konatsu disappeared and reappeared next to Ukyou. He checked her pulse, found it was present and then checked her bandage on her leg. He ripped a small strip of cloth from his pants leg and added an extra layer of cloth to Ukyou's torn hand. "We've got to get her to a hospital. Where is the nearest one?"  
  
No one else was in any position to answer Konatsu's question. Sailor Pluto was in a daze. Mercury was watching the stars float around her head. Shampoo was busy tending to Sailor Saturn who had fainted from healing Sailor Pluto.  
  
"Please Ukyou. Stay with me." Konatsu begged as the smoke cloud that came from the remains of the building the helicopters destroyed obscured his view of the city. "Senshi! Shampoo! Do any of you know how to get to the hospital from here?"  
  
Shampoo yelled out as the roof was engulfed in smoke and everything was going dark. "Shampoo no know! Where honored Senshi?"  
  
Sailor Pluto sat up. "Senshi is in a world of hurt." Pluto tried to use her Senshi senses to get her bearings but failed miserably. She could detect evil or life forms but simple directions to a hospital in a smoke cloud was not something she could do. Everyone on the roof began coughing as the air became unbreathable.  
  
Mercury had an idea. She sat upright while ignoring her pain and cast. "Shabon Spray!" A cloud of fog appeared from the Senshi pushing away the smoke. They still couldn't see a thing, but they could breathe again. She thought to herself. "And they said that spell was useless."  
  
  
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Sailor Neo Moon's speedboat was almost at the dock when suddenly Sailor Sun jumped out and landed on shore. She ran down the street trailing flames behind her. Sailor Jupiter's eyes bugged out at the speed that Sun achieved by using both her magic and her ki at the same time. "Wow! She's got to show me how she does that!"  
  
Sailor Sun ran over rooftops, trees and anything that got in her way as she went to help her childhood friend. She felt that Ukyou was in danger and that time was rapidly running out. Ahead of her, she saw a flash in the skyline. She changed course slightly to get to the source of the distant explosion. As she neared the area, a cloud of gray then black smoke filled the sky. She jumped to the roofs of very tall buildings and sensed where Ukyou was. She changed course again and landed in a bank of fog that was on the roof of a single building. Sun paused for a moment as she recognized the fog as being Sailor Mercury's magic. "Mercury! Are you here?"  
  
"Sun? Is that you?" Mercury cried out as she fell backwards from her pain. She muttered to herself. "Ow. Now I know how Mars felt." Sun caught her just before she hit the tarpaper that covered the roof. The Senshi of the Sun gently placed the Mercury princess down. "Are you alright Mercury?"  
  
"I'll be fine." Mercury answered unconvincingly. She added. "Eventually."  
  
"Where's Ukyou? Is she ok?" Sun concentrated her Senshi sense getting the answer she was looking for. "I'll be right back Mercury." She turned into the fog and fumbled for about five meters before she came across Konatsu and Ukyou. Konatsu at first took a defensive stance at the new intruder thinking it was one of the monsters. He dropped his guard once he saw that it was a Senshi. Sun knelt down to Ukyou's side. "How's..." Her jaw dropped the instant she saw Ukyou's leg.  
  
Without hesitation, the Sun Senshi grabbed her best friend in the world, held her tight and disregarded Sailor Neo Moon's warning. She concentrated on Dr. Mizuno at Juuban Hospital and prayed for a miracle. "Sun Beam Transport!"  
  
Sailor Mercury's mother, Dr. Mizuno was in the hallway going to the room of another child who was injured in the Godzilla attacks. She worked in the pediatric ward at the hospital and was exhausted from all the hours she and the rest of the staff were putting in during the crisis. A flash of light appeared before her. Sailor Sun stumbled then fell on the linoleum as a shocked doctor watched her fall. Sun pleaded before she fainted. "Help her." Sun went down with Ukyou's body landing on top of her.  
  
Dr. Mizuno wasn't that surprised at Sailor Sun's appearance. She was surprised at the wounds on the girl she was carrying. "Get a gurney over here!" She called to a nurse. "I need this girl's blood type and at least 500 cc's of plasma." The nurse standing there was frozen in shock that a Senshi was on the floor. The doctor shouted at the top of her lungs. "NOW!"  
  
  
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Sailor Io ran up to a group of soldiers who were hiding behind a concrete barrier. They had their guns pointed down the street at a giant body of a dead Godzilla. One of the soldiers squeezed off three rounds from his M-16 rifle at something in the distance.  
  
"Could you guys let me pass?" Sailor Io asked.  
  
The men looked at her like she was insane. If any of them knew who she really was, then they would know for a fact that she was insane. The men just stared at the warrior and drooled.  
  
"Perverts." Io jumped over the barrier taking a look around. The Senshi looked over her shoulder to the men. "Don't shoot me. You'll only make me angry." She ran off down the street.  
  
A soldier picked up a radio mike. "We've got a Senshi approaching the target area. Everyone use caution. There is a Senshi in the area." A moment later, Sailor Moon, Venus, Uranus and Neptune jumped over the men after Sailor Io. "This is the 142rd. We've got at least five Senshi approaching the area. All units, be advised that there are several Senshi in the area."  
  
Sailor Io saw a huge smoke cloud directly ahead coming from the remains of a burning crushed building. She stopped as she sensed that she was being watched. She spun to face her enemy. "Thunder Hammer Strike!" She launched a ball of ki and regretted it once she saw that her target was Sailor Neo Moon.  
  
Neo Moon raised her hand in a ki strike. "Sugar Heart Impact!" Her pink colored ki blast deflected Io's energy and both balls of power exploded harmlessly between the two girls. "Watch where you're shooting that thing!"  
  
Io was embarrassed. "Sorry Neo Moon!"  
  
Sailor Jupiter peeked out from behind a wrecked car. "Are you two done playing around?"  
  
Neo Moon looked over at the recent destruction ahead of them. "Did Sun do that?"  
  
"Big explosion... Lot's of fire..." Io grumbled in a low voice. "Maybe."  
  
  
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Konatsu was panic-stricken. "Where'd they go?"  
  
Mercury cast her spell again. "Shabon Spray!" She was lying on her back yet was able to make the proper hand gestures to cast her magic. The previous spell was wearing off and the smoke was trying to overwhelm the girls with choking black smoke.  
  
Shampoo followed Mercury's voice. She held Sailor Saturn in her arms and knelt down next to Mercury laying the tiny Senshi next to her. "Shampoo think we safe here for now."  
  
Pluto appeared from the mist. "Unless the military decides to level this building too. I suggest we get as far away from this place as possible."  
  
Konatsu joined the group. "Ok, which way do we go? I can't see a thing in this fog."  
  
Mercury sat up again as her healing magic stopped the bleeding on her back. "The fog's better than choking to death from smoke inhalation. Pluto, could you teleport us out of here?"  
  
"I was wondering when you were going to ask." She held onto her niece, Sailor Saturn and slipped into the time stream vanishing to nothingness.  
  
"I wonder when she'll be back." Mercury groaned as she felt her back. "Could one of you tell me how bad my back looks?"  
  
Konatsu took one look and averted his gaze. Mercury's dress was gone from just under her shoulders all the way down to her buttocks revealing just a little too much butt cheek. It really wasn't anything that would warrant a PG-13 rating, but Konatsu didn't like looking at naked people without permission. He realized he was acting stupid and turned back around. He stood afar as he examined the girl's exposed back. "You've got some discoloration and a lot of redness. You appear to have minor first and second degree burns but they seem to be vanishing before my eyes."  
  
"That's good. My magic can heal first and second degree burns quickly. It's third degree burns that would take some time." Sailor Mercury slowly got up. "Could you two turn around and not look at me for a moment?"  
  
Shampoo and Konatsu shrugged while turning around like Mercury asked them to. Konatsu hoped that this wasn't some sort of trick to ditch him. They heard the girl shout "Mercury Star Power! Make Up!" and a light show was reflected in the fog. "You can look now."  
  
The two turned to see Sailor Mercury in a perfectly clean uniform. She looked like she had taken a bath. Her face was a little pale and she had difficulty standing. Shampoo rushed over to catch the short haired girl while she slid to the ground. "Why Senshi make light?"  
  
"It was Mars' idea." She replied while she assumed a sitting position on the roof.  
  
Sailor Pluto reappeared with a fully healed Sailor Saturn standing next to her. The little Senshi walked over to Mercury and placed her hands on the blue-skirted girl's back. Mercury was bathed in a yellowish glow for a moment. Saturn pulled her hands back with a smile on her face. "I did it Pluto-mama."  
  
"Did what?" Sailor Moon appeared on the rooftop. "Mercury! Are you alright?" Sailor Moon knelt next to her friend.  
  
Mercury answered. "I am now." She blinked. "Moon? When did you get here?"  
  
"It was Sailor Io. She brought us here. Neptune is putting out the fire. Uranus, Venus, Jupiter, Neo Moon and Io are dusting the dinosaurs. I sensed that you were here so I came to see if you're ok."  
  
Saturn beamed a Kasumi like smile. "I healed her Sailor Moon."  
  
Mercury agreed while she rubbed her restored back. "That she did."  
  
Sailor Moon noticed her injured outer Senshi weren't injured anymore. "Are you both ok?"  
  
Pluto nodded. "Saturn and I are fine now. However, Ukyou was seriously injured."  
  
Konatsu interrupted the little Senshi gabfest. "If you don't mind. Could any of you tell me where I can find out where Ukyou is? Where did Ran... Sailor Sun take her?" Konatsu grimaced as he almost made a terrible blunder by naming Sailor Sun in front of Shampoo.  
  
Mercury thought about it. "She knows where Juuban Hospital is, so she could have taken her there." She pointed toward the direction of Juuban Hospital. "Juuban Hospital is..." A rush of wish blew past the Senshi as a black blur whizzed by. "Over in that direction." Mercury dropped a bead of sweat. "Shampoo, is everyone from Nerima that fast? Shampoo?" She turned to look at the Amazon.  
  
Mercury's fog was lifting and the smoke from the fire below was thinning out. She saw the limp body of Shampoo and the four Senshi huddled around her. Mercury examined the Amazon. "She's got two broken ribs, dozens of bite marks, her jaw is broken. How was this girl standing?" She had a look of pure shock on her face. "This is impossible, this girl should have been in intense pain. How did she? Saturn! She needs your help."  
  
Saturn knelt next to the unconscious Amazon and laid hands on her. She closed her eyes and concentrated her healing powers. It took over a minute of touching most of Shampoo's body to find and seal all the wounds that she had. She finished her healing and fainted from her exertion. Pluto cradled her niece in her arms and lightly kissed her forehead in thanks.  
  
Shampoo awakened to the concerned faces of four Sailor Senshi. She immediately was aware that she didn't need to use her Amazon pain control technique anymore. She felt her ribs finding them perfectly intact. "What happen? Do Senshi heal Shampoo?"  
  
Sailor Moon smiled. "Sailor Saturn helped you." She looked at the three Senshi and Shampoo. "Can the four of you tell me exactly what happened here?"  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from leaving Ukyou in this condition for all time.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 27th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	17. Friends Forever

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 17 Friends forever  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or roll me up in a carpet and toss me in a river. I'd change into a red headed girl once I hit the water. It's embarrassing.  
  
  
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"And that's how Shampoo, Ukyou and Konatsu saved us." Finished Sailor Mercury's condensed version of the events she witnessed in the furniture store.  
  
Sailor Moon blinked. She blinked again. She ever so slowly turned her eyes to the embarrassed purple haired Amazon and let her mouth fall open. "Shampoo only help." Shampoo was kneeling on the ground facing Sailor Moon. The girl bowed again in formal respect. "Shampoo very honored to serve the Senshi."  
  
Sailor Moon gasped as she realized that she hadn't taken a breath for over a minute. She held her gloved hand to her chest to force herself to inhale again. The moon princess couldn't believe some of the things that Mercury, Saturn and Pluto told her that the Nerima trio had done. She thought about Ranma and Akane's incredible skills and began to trust that the seemingly tall tale wasn't so tall after all.  
  
"Hey guys!" Sailors Jupiter and Venus landed on the roof next to their leader. Jupiter continued her greeting. "Looks like things are just about wrapped up down there. We hadn't seen another one of those things for the last five minutes."  
  
Venus nodded. "And good riddance too!" She dusted her hands together and sat down on an empty overturned bucket. "I'm bushed. I can sleep for a week."  
  
Neptune, Io, Uranus and Neo Moon appeared over the lip of the roof. Io glanced around. "Where's Ukyou? Where's Sun? Oh..." She saw Shampoo bowing again to Sailor Moon. "I see your highness has gotten a new subject."  
  
"Really?" Sailor Moon shot her head back and forth looking for her recently acquired follower. She ignored Shampoo expecting some handsome man like her Tuxedo Mask to be at her beck and call. "Where is he?"  
  
Io giggled pointing to the Amazon. "She's right over there. You remember Shampoo right, don't you Sailor Moon?"  
  
Shampoo popped her head back up and knelt upright. "Senshi have heard of Shampoo yes? Shampoo come from great warrior family. Shampoo honored that Senshi know of Shampoo's clan." She glowed in pride as her family line was acknowledged by someone as respected as the Sailor Senshi.  
  
Io became a statue. She now knew what it felt like when Sailor Sun opened her mouth, inserted her red Sailor Senshi boot and began to chew it with gusto. She thought quietly, "Me and my big mouth."  
  
Sailor Neo Moon stood there bug eyed at Shampoo's display of loyalty. She looked to the sky as if it was far more interesting that the sights around her, like the burning building next door or the Apache AH-2 helicopters circling around their location or the occasional sounds of gunfire in the streets of Tokyo or the two news helicopters on the horizon shining their floodlights around. Yep, the stars in the pre-dawn sky looked far more interesting than what's going on in Shampoo's direction.  
  
Sailor Jupiter glanced around. "Where's Sun?" She took a count of the Senshi. "Where's Mars?"  
  
Mercury shuddered as she remembered that she left the fire Senshi on a stretcher a half hour ago. "I left her near the park by herself. I've got to go get her."  
  
Venus got ready to follow her friend. "I'm coming with you."  
  
Jupiter stepped forward. "I'm coming too!"  
  
"Hey you girls!" Sailor Moon stood up and took charge like she sometimes did. The three paused for a moment to look at their leader. "Meet us at Juuban Hospital."  
  
Mercury nodded in understanding that they were going to meet at the hospital to meet up with Sailor Sun and Ukyou. She ran to the fire escape and rapidly climbed down to street level to run off to retrieve her fallen friend. Jupiter and Venus closely tagged along.  
  
Io felt another chill up her spine. "Why are we going to Juuban Hospital?"  
  
Shampoo answered. "Spatula Girl."  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
A six-year old Ukyou was in a grassy field sitting next to her father's okonomiyaki cart. A little six-year old boy ran up and taunted her. "Nyah! Nyah! You can't hit me! Nyah! Nyah!" Ukyou grabbed her kid sized battle spatula and swung it at the little pest. He dodged the utensil and landed on top of her pinning her to the ground.  
  
"Ranma! That's no fair!" The little girl pounded the ground in frustration. Her father tossed the victorious boy a Japanese pancake in reward for winning his daily game with his daughter. The little boy caught it and munched on it while still holding his friend down with his weight. "Get off of me Ran-chan!"  
  
The image faded and reformed. A little Ukyou was checking the seal on a large jar of sauce that she had spent several days preparing. The Chibi-Ranma was watching her with sad eyes, as he knew that he had ruined the sauce earlier in the day since he replaced the jar's contents with random ingredients and didn't tell her about his misdeed. Ukyou felt sad in return, not because the sauce was ruined already unbeknownst to her, but because she had her life's work contained in the urn and her future as an okonomiyaki chef depended on her mastering the perfect sauce. She was worried that she wasn't worthy of carrying on the Kuonji family business. "Ranma. This sauce is my daddy's recipe. If I can't make it like my daddy... I can't be a good chef..." She was confused about her feelings for her friend since she was too young to understand what a lifetime commitment really was. She knew however that she had a lifelong friend in Ranma. She twiddled her thumbs to gather the courage to ask a favor. "Ranma. If my sauce is no good... Would you promise to take care of me forever?"  
  
The little boy was just like his father, quick to make a promise without thinking it through. "Sure."  
  
Ukyou perked up at her friend's promise. "You mean it? If I can't be a chef, I don't know what I can do. I only know how to be a chef and nothing else."  
  
Ranma was oblivious to what his promise meant. He bit down on his okonomiyaki and swallowed the morsel. "Sure Ukyou. I promise I'll take care of you forever and ever."  
  
Ukyou held her hands together and little hearts appeared in her eyes. "Oh thank you Ranma! I promise that I will try to be the best chef in the world!" She had never felt happier in all of her short life.  
  
The scene flashed to a sterile emergency room. Ukyou was dimly aware of the doctors that were gathered around her as her life signs were fading away. The male nurse was massaging her heart. "I'm losing her."  
  
Dr. Mizuno was working on cauterizing her leg stump. "What's her blood pressure?" Another doctor was stitching artificial skin onto her hand to close the wound where her left pinky and ring fingers were.  
  
"I can't get a pulse." The male nurse kept the rhythm slow and steady to pump Ukyou's heart. "Where's the defibrillator?   
  
A female nurse was hooking up another 500cc bag of blood to a plastic IV tube. A third nurse put conductive gel on the defibrillator pads and placed them over the chef's chest. The nurse called out. "Clear!"  
  
All the personnel released Ukyou and a jolt of electricity went through her heart. Her body arched and fell back on the operating table. The EKG monitor showed a heartbeat where one wasn't before. Dr. Mizuno breathed a sigh of relief whispering. "That was close." She spoke to the IV nurse through her hospital mask. "I want that blood in her now. She'll flat line again if she doesn't get her fluid levels raised soon."  
  
Ukyou faded off somewhere else.  
  
Ukyou was facing the man who had ruined her life. She held her ground in an attack stance with her weapon ready to beat him into submission. She had to live a life of shame since her father disowned his daughter because that fat bastard in front of her took her dowry. "Genma Saotome! Prepare to face my revenge!" She leapt into the air and brought her spatula down on the head of the object of her quest. She struck him again and again and again. Each blow didn't do anything to lessen the anguish she had built up in her soul. Genma lay beaten and broken in the vacant lot. None of the pain that Ukyou had went away or dissipated. She held her weapon high in triumph over her victory over the hated Saotome patriarch.  
  
She reasoned that her mission was incomplete. She still had to deal with his worthless son. That must have been the reason why the pain still raged in her heart she deduced.  
  
The scene faded to the next day when a portable boxing area complete with elastic ropes was sitting in the field at Furinkan High School. Ranma taunted the chef again as she tried to defeat the Saotome heir like she defeated his father. The pig-tailed boy fought just like he did as a kid, with taunting, jumping and dodging. The boy acted like this was a game to him and pretended to be her friend. He struck back cutting away Ukyou's shirt and exposing the evidence that she was a girl. She couldn't be a girl anymore. Her father demanded that she live as a boy since he had no daughter anymore. No daughter of the clan Kuonji would ever have been turned down for an engagement of marriage. As a result, Ukyou Kuonji was no longer a daughter but a son of the clan until her honor was restored.  
  
Time passed. Ukyou was talking to Ranma after the fight. She felt something about him. She couldn't stay angry with him no matter how hard she tried to hate him. Ranma finally spoke the words that changed Ukyou's life again. "You're really cute."  
  
"C-cute?" Ukyou couldn't believe that someone said that to her.  
  
The world went white. "Doctor. Her heart rate is dropping again."  
  
"Increase the dosage on the IV."  
  
"Blood pressure is falling."  
  
"She's going into cardiac arrest."  
  
Whiteness.  
  
"Ranma! I want to marry you as you are!" Pleaded Akane as Ranma contemplated whether or not he was going to grab the barrel of Nannichuan that was being tossed around at his wedding.  
  
Ukyou was seething. She and Shampoo reached for the 'special' okonomiyaki Ukyou made for the occasion and took aim. "Ran-chan is mine!" She threw the pizza like a Frisbee at Akane but Ranma got in the way. He pushed Akane out of the path of the food bomb and dodged the pizza but not far enough. They hit the ground and exploded throwing the pig tailed martial artist across the room.  
  
Shampoo screamed. "Shampoo exploding food miss Akane!"  
  
Ukyou watched her beloved fall to the ground with his tuxedo in ruins. She was teary eyed as she opened her arms to catch him. "Why Ranma? Why didn't you pick me? I'm the cute one remember."  
  
Blackness.  
  
Ukyou saw below her a familiar looking girl on a table. People were moving around the black haired girl shouting orders to each other. One was checking a monitor of some sort while another was pressing down on her chest in a steady rhythm.  
  
Ukyou heard a crying sound outside the room. She floated through the wall and saw Sailor Sun pacing back and forth outside the operating room. The SenshiÕs enhanced hearing became a curse as she heard each and every time that Ukyou nearly slipped away. Sun wanted to run in and do something but she was totally powerless to help in any way. The red haired girl gnawed on her gloved hands and was praying. "Ukyou, be strong." She whispered.  
  
Ukyou saw how distraught and terrified the girl was. Her face was full of tears, tears for Ukyou. Ukyou felt love emanating from the girl. Love for someone the Senshi deeply cared about and didn't want to lose.  
  
Dr. Mizuno was determined to get this girl back. "Shock her again!"   
  
The nurse got the pads ready. "I'm ready. Clear!" The nurse waited until everyone got back and pressed the button sending current into the chef's body.  
  
Ukyou was looking out of her eyes again from the operating table straight up into the ceiling. There she saw someone clinging to the ceiling, hiding his body, using the bright ceiling lights for cover. She barely heard a voice call out to her from the ninja above. "Ukyou! Don't go..."  
  
"Don't go!"  
  
"I love you!"  
  
Whiteness.  
  
Akane and Ukyou were just rescued from falling from a tree by Ranma and Konatsu. They were held captive there during a fight with Konatsu's stepfamily. Ukyou was wearing a playboy bunny suit (Long story) and was being held in Konatsu's arms. At this moment, everyone thought Konatsu was a girl so Ukyou was very uncomfortable since Konatsu was being very intimate in the way the kunoichi was holding the chef. Ukyou mumbled. "What's her problem?"  
  
Ranma was nearby the two holding Konatsu's secret scroll in his hands. He and Akane read it. The scroll said. "I love Ukyou. I love Ukyou." The phrase was written over and over again. The words were written hundreds of times with little hearts and flowers drawn around the borders of the parchment. The bottom read, "I know it's not a permissible love, but my heart won't stop."  
  
Akane turned to stare at Ukyou while turning white as a sheet. Ranma approached Konatsu as she tightly held Ukyou and stood behind the kunoichi. "Hey!"  
  
Konatsu realized that her scroll had been opened. She begged forgiveness from Ukyou by bowing to the ground. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me for writing my note and making you uncomfortable." She stood back and with a tearful look on her face, turned to join her family. "Goodbye Ukyou-sama." She sniffed holding back a torrent of tears. "Goodbye."  
  
Ranma wondered aloud. "I wonder what will happen to her."  
  
Ukyou watched as Konatsu was being led away to a life of misery and suffering by her stepmother and stepsisters. She couldn't let the poor girl suffer anymore but she didn't want to give the girl false hope. In a fit of insanity Ukyou cried out. "Don't go back! I'll take care of you!"  
  
Konatsu stopped in her tracks. She clasped her hands together in glee. "You mean it?" She held her arms wide and ran to the girl she loved. Behind her, her stepmother muttered about a disobedient daughter and how it was time for her to leave the nest. She threw a stick of dynamite at Ranma as a going away present. Ranma hit it with a racket back towards the stepmother. The stick exploded ripping the kunoichi's shirt off. Konatsu emerged from the smoke cloud to stand before Ukyou.  
  
Konatsu was a he. He had no breasts, no bindings, nothing that even looked remotely female on his upper body. His face was still feminine with beautiful long dark brown hair. He loved Ukyou with all of his heart. "Can I really go with you?"  
  
Ukyou freaked out.  
  
Whiteness followed as the bright lights of an emergency room focused in her eyes. She was groggy and felt sleepy. She had a good look at the ninja watching over her. "Please don't go." He was begging her. She watched him whispering something to the gods asking for them to take him in her place.  
  
Ukyou gave a hint of a smile and let his love touch her. It was all that she needed. She closed her eyes and rested.  
  
"She's stabilizing."  
  
"Blood pressure is rising."  
  
"I'm done with the hand."  
  
"Hold the knee here. I need to cut."  
  
"Her heart rate is steady."  
  
"The bleeding's stopped."  
  
"EKG is holding."  
  
Konatsu made a prayer of thanks to anyone who would listen to his unworthy voice. He kept a silent vigil watching over his mistress.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Twenty agonizing minutes passed as the doctors scrambled to save her friend's life. Sun was a nervous wreck when Dr. Mizuno stepped out of surgery. "Sailor Sun?"  
  
"Yes." She replied weakly.  
  
"She's stabilized and her prognosis is good. She's a strong girl, a real fighter. We'll have her moved to a private room for you in a few minutes, however she will be sleeping for a while."  
  
Sun slumped in a chair. "Thank you... Zzz..." She was fighting the urge to faint ever since they woke her when the orderlies picked Ukyou's body off of her after her arrival. Only through sheer force of will was Sailor Sun able to keep from falling over from fatigue. She had to be there for her dear friend.  
  
The doctor tapped the Senshi to wake her up for a moment. "Sailor Sun, I need you to go into a private room. I can't have you in plain sight or people will gather around you." Dr. Mizuno gently led the half-conscious Senshi of the Sun into a semi-private room. She was placed into a small seat and instantly passed out. The doctor noted that one bed was empty and she was going to make sure that Ukyou would be placed in this room with her companion. She didn't know why, but the doctor knew that this Senshi cared a great deal about this normal girl. The doctor wondered if her patient was a Senshi in human form. Dr. Mizuno checked on the other patient in the room. Nodoka Saotome would be discharged by morning. She didn't see a reason to rush the elder woman out early to give the Senshi a little more privacy.  
  
Dr. Mizuno walked over to the window as the sun rose over the horizon shedding a blanket of light over the city of Tokyo. She admired the sunrise. "It looks like it's going to be a nice day today."  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Nodoka woke up from a terrible nightmare. She dreamed that an immense reptilian creature was attacking her and her son was nowhere to be found. She sat upright in her bed and gazed at the white curtains that surrounded her. It wasn't a dream.  
  
The curtain was moved aside and a girl stuck her head in to take a look. Konatsu smiled. "Hello Mrs. Saotome. It's good to see you're awake." He was wearing a casual kimono and full makeup. He really looked cute as a button.  
  
Nodoka felt her head and found a bandage was covering most of her skull. She remembered hitting her head in a train and not much else. She had small bandages on her arm and one on her shoulder. She checked her arms for any IV needles. She breathed a sigh of relief as she found that there were no tubes stuck inside of her. Nodoka had a strong dislike for needles.  
  
The elder Saotome smiled at her visitor. "Hello Konatsu. Is there anyone else here with you?"  
  
Konatsu bit his lip wondering if he should mention that a Sailor Senshi was in the room sleeping on a chair. "I'm here with Ukyou. I think the others should be here soon but they may be delayed with all the problems around the city."  
  
Nodoka nodded in agreement. "I see. Well, when my children arrive, please wake me." She lay back down and got as comfortable in a hospital bed as one could possibly get. It wasn't very comfortable. She saw Konatsu disappear behind the curtain. "Ukyou? Aren't you going to come visit your Aunt?"  
  
Konatsu popped in again. "Uh... She can't right now Mrs. Saotome. She's sleeping."  
  
"Sleeping? Oh no..." Nodoka filled with dread. "Is she?" Nodoka got up again. She wiggled her legs to see if she could get up. "Please let me see her."  
  
The kunoichi pulled the curtain away to permit a good view. Ukyou looked like a mess. Her skin was pale, she had numerous bandages all over her body and her leg didn't seem right. An EKG was hooked up to her giving off an annoying regular beep. Two IV bottles, one red and the other clear were leeching fluids into her bloodstream through a plastic tube. Nodoka's heart sank. "Ukyou... What happened?"  
  
Konatsu sat next to Ukyou. He held her right hand. "She fell in battle Mrs. Saotome."  
  
Nodoka got out of bed and slowly walked the three tiny paces to be at Ukyou's side. She trebled in fear as to what sort of thing could have done this to Ranma's friend. "Get well my child."  
  
Ukyou cracked a tiny smile on her lips speaking barely above a whisper. "I'm healing as fast as I can Auntie." She drifted off to sleep again.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Sailor Mars was healed to the point where she could get up. It hurt to move but she wasn't bedridden anymore. She sat up on her stretcher and took in her surroundings.   
  
The radio truck was still where she remembered it and there wasn't anyone around in the tiny alcove she was hidden in. The morning light started to spread warmth around the cold cool area and the fire Senshi smelled the fresh scent of coffee from a Starbucks coffee shop down the street. She heard voices from people that she knew and crossed her arms in anticipation for their arrival.  
  
Sailor Mercury came around the corner with Jupiter and Venus right behind her. "Mars! I'm glad you're ok!"  
  
Mars scowled at Mercury. "No thanks to you! Where did you go? Did you at least bring me something to eat? I'm starving!"  
  
The three arrivals looked at each in dismay. Jupiter got closer. "We've been fighting nonstop while you've been taking a nap and all you can think about is food? Fine!" She spun around and ran off.  
  
Venus pointed her finger at Mars. "We came all this way to check on you. You should be a little more nicer."  
  
Mars huffed. "You wouldn't have needed to come here if Mercury didn't abandon me." She stuck her tongue out at Mercury.  
  
Mercury drooped a little. "Mars, I think you should know that I left because Pluto, Saturn and Ukyou were in grave danger. I would have never left you unless it was an emergency."  
  
"Danger? Why didn't you bring me along?" Mars was miffed that she missed out on the fun.  
  
Sounding like a doctor, Mercury gave a lecture. "Mars, I'm not a doctor yet, but I know enough about injuries to know that you couldn't be moved. Your rest was more important at the time."  
  
Sailor Venus happily announced. "All's well that starts well!"  
  
Mars and Mercury stared at the blond Senshi. They hated to be reminded that she was indeed blond. Mercury lectured again. "The saying goes, 'All's well that ends well' Venus. You need to study more."  
  
"More? Ah, but that will cut into my shopping time!" Venus whimpered.  
  
Jupiter popped around the radio truck holding a bag of pastries from the Starbucks. "Get'em while they're hot!" Her other hand held a drink carrier with four hot chocolates. She passed out the goodies. The girls didn't know how hungry they were until the moment the food touched their mouths. They all performed Usagi and Ranma impersonations as they swallowed the food whole and slurped the hot chocolate in record time.  
  
Mars summed it up in one syllable. "Burp!"  
  
Mercury made a gentle ladylike belch. "We've got to go to Juuban Hospital."  
  
Mars stopped burping. "Why? I should be fine after a day or two. Am I more seriously injured?"  
  
Venus, Jupiter and Mercury exchanged worried glances and said nothing.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Sailor Sun cracked her eyes open as sunlight washed over her. Sailor Io was holding her hand. "Time to wake up sleepy head."  
  
Sun waited until the room stopped dancing around her head. She shook her head to clear out the cobwebs which in Sun's case were numerous. She blinked her eyes and made quick glances around the hospital room.  
  
"Good morning Sailor Sun." Nodoka winked at her daughter from her bed knowing that she couldn't use her daughter's real name with Konatsu and Ukyou present.  
  
Sun noticed the door to the room was shut and they had some privacy. "Good morning. I think. It is morning? What time is it?"  
  
Io looked at the clock on the wall. "It's 4:14 in the afternoon. We've been here and gone. We've just been waiting for you to wake up. See." Around the room were several bouquets of flowers, cards and stuffed animals around Ukyou and Nodoka's beds. "I had to stuff you into the little bathroom when my folks and your dad showed up. I'm glad you were out like a light the whole time."  
  
Sun went pale. "My d-dad? He didn't see me did he?"  
  
Nodoka pointed at Ukyou and mouthed the words. "Do they know?" to Sailor Io.  
  
Io checked the room again for privacy. "Yes mother. They both know about us." She turned to Konatsu. "And only us right?"  
  
Konatsu sheepishly answered. "Yes, only you two."  
  
Io kept a stern look at Konatsu. "Good. That's what I wanted to hear."  
  
Nodoka patted her daughter on the head. "Your father didn't see you. Akane did a great job keeping him from going to the restroom while he was here."  
  
Io giggled. "It's amazing how effective one hundred yen coins are on my sister and your father."  
  
"Nabiki was here too?" Sun melted in her chair.  
  
Sun's mom put her hand back to her side. "Of course she was here. The Tendos and my husband came to see how I was doing. The doctors wanted to let me out this morning but that nice Ami was able to convince them to let me stay another day." She faced her roommate. "I felt I should stay and watch over Ukyou as well."  
  
Konatsu looked up from his position next to Ukyou. "I'm certain that Ukyou appreciates that."  
  
Io clapped her hands. "Well now that you're among the living. We can go home." She turned her wrist to use her new Sailor Scout wristwatch communicator.  
  
Sun asked. "Who're you calling?"  
  
"Sailor Pluto. She'll get us home quickly. She told me to call her once you woke up."  
  
Sun shook her head. "I don't want to leave. Not yet anyways." She grabbed the sides of her chair to stand up. She wobbled for a moment before regaining her strength. She took a step forward and looked over her friend. The bandages told the whole story. Ukyou was pretty messed up. "Io. Call Saturn here."  
  
Io put her hand down and the room went quiet.  
  
"What? What's going on?" Sun faced Nodoka then Konatsu and then finally Io. All three had looks of sadness.  
  
Konatsu choked a tear. "She was already here."  
  
"She was? Then why's Ukyou still covered in bandages?"  
  
Nodoka held her daughter's shoulder. "She was here with her mother. She spent over an hour trying to heal her leg but couldn't."  
  
Sun felt her world ending at her mother's words. "You mean? No..." Sun gazed at the outline of Ukyou's legs in the bed, an outline that was missing a crucial section. "There's got to be a way. There has to be." She gripped the mattress and squeezed it tight.  
  
"Sun. Saturn was able to do some good, look at Ukyou's face, she healed all the scratches. Her internal organs are perfectly healthy. She'll probably be out of the hospital tomorrow morning."  
  
"With a peg leg?" Sun stroked Ukyou's bandaged hand. "With three fingers? What about Sailor Moon's scepter? Did you try that?"  
  
Io's face said everything. "Her scepter can only stabilize someone but it can't heal non-magical injuries on a normal person."  
  
"We can't give up. Call them here. All of them."  
  
"We've already tried Sun!"  
  
Sun grimaced in frustration. "Don't tell me you've tried everything!" She dropped her head. "What if I tried?"  
  
Io got wide eyed. "Can you heal? Do you have that kind of power?"  
  
"I'm not giving up." Sun closed her eyes and held Ukyou's hand. She called forth the magic deep within her. She pleaded to her guardian star to give her the power to restore life where in the past all she did was take it. She called the powers not for herself but for her friends, for anyone now or in the future that she would be able to save if this gift was blessed upon her.  
  
Io called on her communicator. "Everyone. Sun's awake. She wants us to come to the hospital to try to heal Ukyou again."  
  
Usagi came on the line. She looked very tired as if she was rudely awaken by someone who didn't respect the fact that she had stayed up all night and part of the morning. Since that was what had happened to the part-time princess, she had every right to look like death warmed over. "We were there for over an hour Io. What good will it do now?"  
  
Sun kept her focus. She channeled her magic to her hand. It wasn't working. Sun stopped her magic and grabbed Io's wrist to speak into the watch. "I'll buy you a banana split if you come. Two if you get here in fifteen minutes."  
  
Usagi woke up. "Deal! Moon out!"  
  
Io looked into the eyes of her husband. "Do you have the money to pay for two banana splits? Moon will be here to get those and she won't leave until she devours them."  
  
Sun turned to Nodoka. "Mom? Could I borrow some money?"  
  
Nodoka reached over for her purse that lay on the little table by her bed. She sighed and shook her head in mild disapproval.   
  
Konatsu handed Sun a few one thousand yen notes. "Here. It's all I have."  
  
Sun tried to push the money back. Konatsu was paid only ten yen an hour by Ukyou. The one thousand yen represented over two weeks pay for the kunoichi. The guy was originally paid five yen a day, then ten yen a day and then ten yen an hour as the Saotome's insisted to Ukyou to pay him something more than pitiful wages. Ukyou took advantage of Konatsu's love and kindness by working him like a slave at Ucchan's while she chased after Ranma. Sun didn't want to take advantage of the ninja. "No Konatsu, It's too much."  
  
Konatsu shed tears. "Nothing is too much for her. Nothing." He shoved the money in Sun's hand and sat back down resuming his vigil.  
  
Sun neatly folded the bills and fumbled around trying to stuff them in her bra like she saw other girls do. After several failed attempts that were very embarrassing to normal females, Io snatched the money and put it neatly into her own bra. Nodoka shook her head disapprovingly again. "You've got a lot to learn about being a girl Sun."  
  
"Hey! I'm a guy!"  
  
Her comment was met with snickers. Ukyou woke up and joined in the laughter. Sailor Sun walked to the nearest wall and started using it to flatten her forehead by pounding on it.  
  
Ukyou opened her eyes. "I needed that."  
  
Sun kept pounding. "I don't."  
  
Io handed Sun her infamous mallet. "Use this, the hospital bill is large enough already."  
  
Sun stopped her pounding to sigh. Her attention was redirected at the door as a knock was heard. "Are they here already?"  
  
Io crossed her arms. "You did say two banana splits didn't you?"  
  
"No! There is no way she could run that fast. Her house is at least fifteen blocks from here." Sun walked to the door to open it. "Maybe even twenty." She turned the knob and saw Super Sailor Moon and Neo Moon standing there. Behind the pair were the rest of the inner Senshi.  
  
The blond princess of the moon in her Super Sailor Moon fuku pointed her scepter at Sun. "I expect to collect after this."  
  
"Ok ok!" Sun raised her hands in surprise. "Where's Saturn?"  
  
Neo Moon tried to get in but was blocked by Sailor Sun. "Saturn will be here soon. May we come in or are you just going to block the doorway?"  
  
Sun stepped aside as the six Senshi entered the room. "How'd you get here so fast?"  
  
Mars replied. "We used the Sailor Teleport. We were all at my shrine since Mercury had us study to make up for the fact that we all didn't go to school today." She pointed to Moon. "Meatball head here, she was sleeping while we were studying when you called."  
  
"I wasn't sleeping. Uh... I was uh... Resting. Yeah, I was resting my eyes." Moon waved her wand around as she fumbled around for words with the same grace as she did in gymnastics. It was clunky, clumsy and teetering on the edge.  
  
Mars glared at her leader. "You rest your eyes while saying 'Zzzz'?"  
  
"As a matter of fact. Uh... I do!" Moon turned to face away from Mars, sticking her nose into the air and closing her eyes.  
  
"Don't rest your eyes anymore. I don't want to hear you make that sound again." Mars turned to face away from Moon and assumed the same heads up position.   
  
Moon turned her head around to deliver a raspberry. Mars returned the favor. Everyone else in the room including Ukyou dropped their heads in embarrassment.  
  
A knock came on the door interrupting the stimulating conversation that was transpiring in the room. The door opened to reveal the four outer Senshi who entered and locked the door behind them.  
  
Sun jumped up and held Saturn by the shoulders. "Saturn, please, I need you to try again. Please try to heal Ukyou's hand."  
  
The tiny Senshi stepped back and held her mother tightly. Neptune told Sun, "We already did that this morning. Is this why we were called here?" She shot a glance to Sailor Moon.  
  
Sun drew Neptune's attention back to her. "I called you here because I don't think we tried everything."  
  
Uranus stepped forward. "We tried everything. Face facts Sun. We can't re-grow a leg."  
  
Sun stood erect. "And why not? We cast fireballs, ice blocks and teleport all over the place. I've heard that Moon was able to bring some of you back from the dead. Are ya telling me that there's something that's beyond our powers?"  
  
Neptune held her daughter tight. "Yes Sun. Even we have limits. Moon can bring back the dead only if the Senshi was killed very recently. Otherwise they're gone like anyone else."  
  
"Well, Ukyou's not dead. All I'm asking is for ya to heal her."  
  
Uranus got upset. "Don't you think we hadn't tried that? Saturn gave it everything she had but she couldn't regenerate her leg."  
  
Sun wasn't ready to give up. She thought for a moment at great effort. "Wait! We can all heal ourselves. Why can't we heal others?"  
  
Sailor Moon remembered the rules of the Senshi magic. "Because Sun, as a Senshi, we each have powers unique to each of ourselves. That's why you can teleport by yourself while the rest can't. Saturn can heal; I can channel power and lead the Sailor Teleport. The healing magic each of us possess is only to heal ourselves. It's a power reserved for the Senshi."  
  
Sun faced Sailor Moon in all seriousness. "Then make her a Senshi if that's what it'll take."  
  
Pluto interjected. "It's not that simple Sun and you know it."  
  
Sun grabbed Moon's shoulders half pleading and half threatening. "Then let's join our powers instead like we did when you blasted Jadeite."  
  
Sailor Moon stood steadfast. "Our healing magic can't be channeled to another."  
  
Venus had an idea. "It can't? Are you sure? I don't think we've ever tried that before."  
  
Sun regained hope. Hope she was rapidly losing. She clung onto anything that would heal her friend. "I'll give it a try. Saturn, are you game?"  
  
The little Senshi emerged from behind her mother. "I.. I've never tried that. What if it doesn't work."  
  
Sun gulped. Io stood next to her answering, "Then we can say that we did try everything." She faced the assembled crowd who barely fit in the hospital room. "I saw all of you combine your powers when we fought Jadeite. Let's see if we can do it to heal my friend."  
  
Ukyou couldn't believe what she was hearing. Akane was calling her a friend. The Senshi were going to try to heal her. She tapped her head to try to remember when they claimed to have attempted to heal her the first time and came up blank. She must have been completely knocked out during that first try.  
  
Mercury went over to Konatsu. "Could you stand over by Mrs. Saotome? We need to be as close as possible if this is going to work." Konatsu jumped into the air and landed on the far side of the room on the other side of Nodoka's bed. Nodoka sat upright taking in the wonder that was before her.  
  
Sailor Saturn stood next to Ukyou. The worried chef swallowed in anticipation as the little purple-skirted girl gently placed her hands on the injured hand. She concentrated her healing magic causing the bandage to glow a pale yellow. A moment later she put the hand down. "It's no use. I can't do it."  
  
Sailor Sun placed her hand on Saturn's shoulder. "Try again."  
  
"I can't."  
  
Sun thought of something to say. Neptune stood next to her daughter and placed her hand on her other shoulder. "You are the Senshi of Saturn. You can. Neptune Planet Power!" Sailor Neptune glowed and the energy flowed down her arm into her adopted daughter.  
  
"Sun Star Power!" Sailor Sun's power flowed into Sailor Saturn.  
  
The little girl felt alive. She felt like she could do anything. "Yes Neptune-mama, I can." She held Ukyou's hand again and concentrated her magic. Ukyou's arm glowed while little yellow dots appeared around Neptune and Sun. The sparkles flew around the two Senshi, flowed down their arms and into Ukyou through Saturn. The magic sparkles took shape and grew into a faint outline of a ring finger.  
  
Sun opened her eyes and smiled at Ukyou. The chef felt warmth that she could never describe with mere words. The feeling could only be described as love. Pure love. The love one feels from sharing everything about yourself to someone you deeply cared about. Neptune felt this love for Saturn. Sun felt this love for Io. They directed the love at Ukyou and the magic within performed a miracle.  
  
Ukyou's hand changed shape. The bandage began to disappear as it too changed into glowing lights of magic and spun around forming a pinky. Saturn began to weaken. Mercury saw what was happening and held onto Neptune's free hand. "Mercury Star Power!"  
  
The other Senshi got the cue. They quickly formed a circle that encompassed three sides of the bed. As each Senshi joined the circle, they called out their phrase of power.  
  
"Io Lumina Power!"  
  
"Jupiter Star Power!"  
  
"Moon Cosmic Power!" Came from Moon and Neo Moon.  
  
"Uranus Planet Power!"  
  
"Venus Star Power!"  
  
"Pluto Planet Power!"  
  
"Mars Star Power!"  
  
Hundreds, then thousands of tiny dots of light emerged from the bodies of the twelve Senshi, flowed into Sailor Saturn, orbited her and then sparkled over Ukyou. Nodoka and Konatsu watched open mouthed as what amounted to nothing short of a miracle occurred before them.  
  
Ukyou's leg formed an outline. Toes could be seen in a yellow light as dots ebbed and flowed in random directions until settling into their new homes. Her hand began to solidify, darken and harden into a perfect human hand. The leg took much longer. The light show continued for over ten minutes with several times Saturn wanting to fall over from exhaustion. Her mother and Sun held their gentle grip on her shoulders. The girls used body language and channeled more of themselves to the Senshi healer to finish what they had started.  
  
Ranma's former fiance was in a level of bliss that few humans ever achieve. She slowly moved her head following the faces of the girls who were giving a part of themselves in an effort to return, that which was lost from someone they loved.  
  
Love.  
  
They were made of love.  
  
The dozen assembled Senshi were showering Ukyou Kuonji with more love at this moment than anyone received in a lifetime. She saw Venus wink at her when she made eye contact. Mars smiled wider, Mercury nodded her head, and Jupiter playfully raised her eyebrow. She was afraid for just a moment, she didn't know what she would see in the face she held closest to her heart than anyone else. Sailor Sun just stared at Ukyou with a cocky grin. The chef saw that Sun was giving more of herself that any other girl. She was determined to make sure that she was healed. She moved her gaze slightly upward to look into the eyes of her former rival. Sailor Io had a smile from ear to ear. It was the face that Ranchan had told her that made Akane cute. Sailor Io was indeed a cute fiance. She was emitting the love she had for her husband and sending it to someone she cared about.   
  
Ukyou felt a warm sensation from an area she thought was lost forever. She had toes on her left leg. She had a pinky on her left hand. She felt wonderful. There was a collective thud as ten Sailor Senshi hit the ground at the same time. Sailor Sun grabbed the hospital bed to hold herself up and Sailor Pluto stood upright as if the energy transfer didn't bother her at all. Pluto smirked. "Wimps."  
  
Nodoka sat frozen in pride. She thanked the gods that they had blessed her with a child that was truly an outstanding individual. Sailor Sun was one of a kind. She was her child, an exceptional child that Nodoka had the honor and privilege to bring into this world.  
  
Konatsu tiptoed around the dormant Senshi. He bent down patting the face of Sailor Neptune and found that it a futile effort. He got up and held the hand of his mistress. "How do you feel Ukyou?"  
  
Ukyou struggled to find the words. "I feel..." She wiggled all ten of her toes and held Konatsu's hand tight. "Alive. I feel alive."   
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from camping out in your backyard roasting chestnuts over an open fire.  
  
Bill Heineman  
January 28th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	18. Going home

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 18 Going home  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or give me a massive headache after striking me with a mallet.  
  
  
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Nick Tatopoulos surveyed the giant body of the dead Godzilla as he stood in a street filled with soldiers and rescue teams. He craned his head skyward to look at the top of the giant spikes on the creature's back that literally touched the sky. The entire street stank of rotting meat so Nick wore a surgical mask and rubber gloves that did little to protect him from the overpowering stench.  
  
He picked up a chuck of the leathery Godzilla skin that was strewn about the pavement taking care not to damage the specimen he held. Nick examined the burn marks that covered one side of the chunk of meat that he turned end over end in his hands. He looked up again and wondered what weapon was used that caused the death of this magnificent creature since it didn't look like the same wounds that the missile attack in New York left in the original beast. He had heard that the strange girls he saw the day before possessed supernatural powers and thought if they were the ones responsible for the thing's death. The Japanese agent that had left him here refused to tell him exactly how the creatures died, so Nick was left to speculate and guess as to what happened in the final minutes of the Godzilla's life.  
  
Nick walked as close to the body as he dared to. A giant ribcage precariously teetered on the brink of falling into the street to cause more damage than was already present on the nearby buildings. He pulled out a plastic bag from his jacket and gently inserted the body fragment safely inside it for its trip to his laboratory back home for future study.  
  
Dr. Tatopoulos spent many hours photographing the area, the egg chamber inside the body and the numerous dead babies. He placed dozens of collected samples into several large ice chests hoping that somehow, someday, some good will come from all that had happened both from the New York attack and the recent Tokyo incursion. He reflected on the outcome and couldn't figure out how anything might have been different. A Godzilla could not be captured and kept in a zoo. There was no reasonable way that humans and Godzilla could share the planet. It was either them or us; there was no other outcome. The humans had won this battle and hopefully the war.   
  
Nick stared down the street gawking at the vast number of dead babies. In New York City, they thought they had killed all the children and now he was witness to how wrong they were. He gulped at the thought that any babies could have survived this massacre. He dreaded the idea of a future rematch with even more spawn of Godzilla. He silently hoped that that day would never come, but at the same time he deeply regretted the extinction of a truly unique species of creature that he had the privilege of being able to study first hand. He turned to the ice chest near him and placed the last sample inside.  
  
The sound of the ice chest lid being slammed shut was the last thing Nick heard before his cell phone rang. He pulled off his gloves and slowly fumbled around his jacket until he pulled the phone out. He pulled down his mask and coughed as the odor filled his nose. "Ack! Nick here."  
  
A familiar friend from France was on the line. "It was good working with you again. Sorry, but my remaining time here is short. You'll find a first class ticket to New York waiting for you at the Air France ticket counter. It will get you home when you've finished your work there."  
  
Nick smiled at the sound of Philippe's voice. "The feeling is mutual my friend. I rather enjoyed our little adventure together." He coughed from the stench. "However, let's not do this again anytime soon if you know what I mean. Oh, you should drop by my office at the university the next time you're in the states. I've got a neat collection of artifacts I'd think you'd like to see."  
  
Philippe turned to look at his surroundings from the pay phone he was in. When he felt certain he wasn't being monitored, he continued. "I'll probably do that someday. However, I'm taking a long vacation right now so I'll be out of touch for a while. Au revoir my friend." He hung up the phone with an air of sadness. The French agent straightened out his coat and walked off into the crowd for his rendezvous in the French Alps. He had a long date planned with a pair of skis.  
  
Nick clicked off his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He looked down the street at the multitude of helicopters, troops, smoke clouds, destruction and the massive hunk of rotting flesh piled high from the corpse of a giant dead Godzilla.  
  
Nick got into the passenger side of the military jeep he was assigned by the Japanese secret service. The ice chests were safely stowed in the back, ready for the trip home. "Driver, take me to the Tokyo International Airport." He pause and smiled. "Air France terminal."  
  
The driver nodded. "Hai!" He started the engine, signaled and drove off down the street into the distance. They were eventually obscured by smoke from a smoldering building. Nick's adventure in Tokyo drew to a close.  
  
  
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"Nihao, great-grandmother!" Shampoo entered the empty Cat Cafe after a very long walk from Juuban hospital. She was exhausted from lack of sleep and her vigil at Ukyou's bedside. The Amazon sighed as her suitor approached.  
  
"My darling Shampoo!" Mousse ran to his love with open arms. He almost reached the purple haired girl of his dreams before darkness took him as he ran straight into the support beam. He wrapped his arms around the pole as he slowly slid down to the floor to take an unplanned nap.  
  
Shampoo peered at his body as it sprawled on the floor. "Stupid Mousse. Why Mousse no put on glasses? Mousse no make good husband when Mousse no see." She reached for a glass of water from a nearby table and threw the contents on the hidden weapons master changing him into his fowl form. She reached down to pick up the quiet duck and continued to walk to the back room.  
  
Cologne watched the altercation intently. She had numerous questions about the previous nights activities and waited with the patience of the ages for the opportunity to ask. "Great granddaughter, put Mousse in his pen and sit with me child." The matriarch hopped to an empty booth waiting for Shampoo to finish putting the duck in his pen. The young girl slowly trudged to the booth and plopped down in the seat across from Cologne.  
  
"Nihao..." Shampoo was able utter before resting her weary head on the table. "Shampoo need new bike."  
  
Cologne nodded. "I see. I would like to know what happened to your clothes." The elder pointed at a rip in Shampoo's dress sleeve with her cane. "Your dress is almost ruined but your skin doesn't have a scratch. Tell me..." Cologne's eyes sparked with an evil happy thought. "You didn't by any chance spend some time with your husband? Maybe you got a little rough with him perhaps? Or was he the one who was rough with you?" She gave out a small laugh at the mere thought that Ranma had consummated his marriage with Shampoo. The old woman knew the chances were almost zero, but she had to ask.  
  
Shampoo for the first time noticed that her dress was torn up and she bordered on being arrested for indecency. Several cuts in the fabric had shown skin where skin was not supposed to be seen. "Oh, Shampoo sad. Dress one of Shampoo's favorite."  
  
Cologne deduced that sharp objects, knives, or possibly claws cut the dress. But the girl's skin underneath was baby smooth and utterly flawless. "Shampoo, why are you not scratched up?" She pondered a question and came to a logical conclusion. "Were you healed by someone? The Senshi perhaps?"  
  
Shampoo bubbled with happiness while sitting up straight. "Yes great grandmother, Senshi called Sailor Saturn touched Shampoo and make pain go away. See." Shampoo rolled up her sleeve to expose her shoulder. The shoulder once had a scar that she had gotten in training years ago but now had no trace of the old wound. "Senshi make mark go away."  
  
"Impressive. Now, why were you injured? Were you fighting alongside Ranma?" Cologne hoped the answer would be something she wanted to here.  
  
Shampoo released her sleeve and slumped back down on the table. "No, Shampoo no find Ranma. Shampoo find Spatula Girl and Pervert Boy. Shampoo fight to protect Senshi. Shampoo bring honor to tribe." She closed her eyes resting on her folded arms with a smile on her face.  
  
"You? You protected the Senshi?" The small old woman raised her eyebrows in delight. Shampoo closed her eyes and fell asleep from exhaustion. "Now, this is a change of events I didn't foresee. Hmm..." Cologne held her hand to her chin in deep thought. "Maybe you'll bring honor to the tribe without Ranma after all." Cologne poked Shampoo with her walking stick to wake her up but the girl was out like a light.  
  
Cologne picked up her great granddaughter and carried her off to bed. She tucked her in and shut off the lights. "Sleep well Shampoo. We'll discuss what happened later. I've much to think about." She turned to leave but stopped in the doorway. "Now, where was Ranma in all of this?"  
  
  
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It had been running for hours. The smell of humans was ingrained in its mind as something to avoid. It watched dozens of its siblings die as these black furred animals spat out flashes of fire and made its companions fall where they stood in agonizing death. It did the only thing it could do. It ran. It ran as fast as it could and used the cover of night and the underground tunnels to hide its tracks.  
  
It had to find the open sea. It had to find freedom. It had to escape.  
  
  
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Sailor Venus rubbed her head as she came to. "Where am I?"  
  
Jupiter was already awake but kneeling on the hospital floor next to Ukyou's bed. "You're dead."  
  
Venus got teary eyed. "I... I'm dead? I'm too old to die."  
  
Sailor Io coughed. "Old? You mean you're too young to die."  
  
Venus wept. "That too! I can't be dead! I've got my whole life to live! Who... Who's going to take care of Artemis?"  
  
Ukyou was staring at the orange-skirted Senshi in disbelief. "Uh... You're not dead sugar." She glared at Jupiter. "But I think your friend doesn't have long to live."  
  
Venus stopped weeping giving a googly eyed look while holding her hands under her chin in a very girlish fashion. "I'm not dead? Wait. Jupiter! I'm sorry you're going to die!" Venus started pouring out the tears at a rate that would have made Soun Tendo proud. "Sailor Moon! Jupiter needs help!"  
  
Ukyou groaned and turned to Sailor Sun who was sitting in a chair next to her bed. "Why did you join these guys? Why?"  
  
Sun buried her head in her hands hoping to disappear. "I was drafted. Ok?"  
  
"And you sugar, what's your excuse?" The chef directed her question to Sailor Io.  
  
Io just rolled her eyes in response.  
  
The rest of the Senshi, one by one, got up from off the floor to admire the work they had done on Ukyou's leg. Sailor Saturn was the last to stir and her mother held her tight. Neptune whispered into her daughter's ear. "You did it! I knew you could, I just knew it." She kissed her daughter on the cheek and embraced her with pride.  
  
Her future daughter, Neo Moon, lifted Sailor Moon off of the floor. "C'mon mom, get up." Sailor Moon staggered over to an empty chair and sat down.  
  
Sailor Pluto entered the hospital room with a tray of cups filled with orange juice. "Here you go everyone, I'm certain you're all thirsty right now."  
  
The girls looked at each other for a moment, then each one took a cup and quickly drank the juice. None of them knew why they were so thirsty at that precise moment, but Pluto always had a way of knowing what needed to be done before anyone else.  
  
Pluto set down the empty tray and stood next to the door. "Well, it's a little crowded here and Saturn needs to rest." She looked at Uranus as she finished her drink. "Looks like you lose."  
  
Sailor Uranus scratched her head under her tiara. "Fine, I'll pay up when we get home." Uranus muttered to herself. "Last time I make a bet with you."  
  
The ageless Senshi gave out an uncustomary giggle. "Fat chance. I told you that we could do it." She reached out to touch Neptune and Uranus. "Let's go home." The four outer Senshi instantly vanished with Sailor Pluto's time stream teleportation.  
  
Ukyou called out to the departing Senshi. "Wait!" As they faded away she continued in a normal voice. "Thank you." Ukyou was holding her new hand before her face gazing at the simple beauty of the texture of the skin. She spoke to the remaining Senshi. "I can't thank all of you enough. Anytime you're in Nerima, you're welcome to a free meal at my place."  
  
Mercury interjected. "It's we who wish to thank you Ukyou. If it wasn't for your quick thinking, I wouldn't want to think about what could have happened to Pluto and Saturn."  
  
Neo Moon felt it was time to inform her teammates of everything Ukyou did. "She saved your life Mercury. Io's too."  
  
Sailor Mercury turned her eyes to Neo Moon to correct her. "My life? Well maybe, she did fight to protect me at the furniture store but Io wasn't there." Io scratched her head trying to remember when and where could have Ukyou saved her life.  
  
Neo Moon brushed off the dust from her white, yellow and blue Super Sailor Moon skirt. "Well, she saved your life a second time in the store. The first time was when she dusted that giant Godzilla that was about to have you and Io for dinner."  
  
Sailor Io eyes bugged out remembering how that Godzilla literally exploded while she was digging out Sailor Mercury. She pointed her finger at Ukyou. "W-was that you? Was it you that shot that giant Godzilla and killed it? I... I thought that Sailor Saturn did that. I mean. It looked like her magic attack."  
  
Ukyou blushed in embarrassment since she barely remembered what happened when she fired the Silence Glaive. "Yes, it was Saturn's staff. She let me borrow her weapon and I used it."  
  
Sun stood up next to her childhood friend. "What? How? I thought only Saturn could use that thing."  
  
Sailor Moon stared at Ukyou. "Wait a minute! No one can use anyone else's... Oh, wait... Uh... I take that back." She pulled out her moon disguise pen thinking how most of the Senshi had used it to play tricks on each other as well as use it on missions.   
  
Ukyou sank a little, as she was afraid that she had done something wrong. "Uh... Sailor Saturn gave it to me and told me to go help you. You have to understand, the building was shaking when that thing was running down the street and we had no idea what was going on. I ran outside and saw it kicking you." She looked at Sailor Sun with a tear in her eye. "I thought it was going to kill you Ran-chan."  
  
Sun closed her eyes. "Please call me Sailor Sun when I'm wearing my... er... dress."  
  
"Sorry. But it was going to kill you! What else could I do? I aimed that thing and said the words she told me to say. Next thing I knew, it was sending out this bright beam and I carved that thing up like a roast pig. Next thing I know, I'm back in the store next to the Senshi's bed."  
  
Sailor Moon stood forward and held Ukyou's hand. "What you did was a brave thing. Thank you. We won't ever forget this." She turned to Sailor Sun with a shine in her eyes. "Sun, don't you have something for me?"  
  
"Oh yeah. Io, could I have that money now?"  
  
Io pulled out the few yen notes from behind her blue bow and gave it to the red head. "Don't spend it all in one place."  
  
"But that's what I intend to do. Sun Beam Transport!" She made a mischievous smile and flashed out.  
  
Mars was amused since she had an idea of what Sun was getting for Sailor Moon. "What's Sun getting for you?"  
  
"Oh... She owes me. I'm going to collect." Moon smiled back to Mars as her eyes turned into little pictures of sundaes.  
  
Mars softly muttered. "Figures that you're always thinking with your stomach."  
  
Sailor Mercury tapped Ukyou's shoulder to get her attention. "I'm curious. Did Saturn do anything with you or to you before she gave you her Glaive? As far as I know, only she could use the magic in her weapon."  
  
Ukyou tried to remember what happened while lowering her head in thought. "Yes, I remember now. She touched me and I glowed for a second. Was that it?"  
  
"I think so. We can temporarily assign our powers to someone else but it takes a lot of effort." Mercury scanned Ukyou with her computer to check on her wounds or lack of them as the case may be. "Well, it looks like you're the picture of health. Can you stand up?" Mercury continued her scans on Ukyou to make sure that the healing was fine.  
  
"I've been waiting for you to say that." Ukyou cast off her blankets to reveal her hospital gown. She shook her legs and wiggled her toes. "I can't believe that this is possible." She felt her left knee and slid her hand downward to her ankle. "It's as if it had never been injured."  
  
Mercury stood by her bed and offered her a hand but Konatsu appeared instantly to help up his mistress. Mercury continued her scans. "Let's see if you've got the use of your new leg. I think you might need some therapy to recover." Konatsu slowly helped the chef up on her feet. Ukyou wobbled a bit almost falling to the floor. She caught herself with the side of the bed but in moments she was walking around the room.  
  
"Brr... The floor's cold."  
  
Konatsu produced Ukyou's shoes and stockings. "Do you want to put on your shoes?"  
  
"Actually, I want to feel the floor." She walked around without any effort or discomfort. She spun on her big toe like a dancer with her hair flowing outward in the air. "I feel great!" She stopped spinning, stood and made a pose. "I feel like I've had a week long vacation!"  
  
Mercury finished her readings. "Well, as far as I can tell. There's no reason for you to stay here anymore. I can't find anything wrong with you." She snapped her Sailor Scout computer shut and stowed it away into pocket space.  
  
"Great!" She looked at her lack of attire. "I want to get back into my old clothes."  
  
"Here you go." Konatsu pulled out of his kimono a small stack of neatly folded clothes and held it out for his mistress.  
  
"Thanks!" She took her clothes and shoes from Konatsu and went to the tiny bathroom to change in private.  
  
Jupiter watched in amazement as the chef marched across the cold floor. "Mercury, are you sure she's ok? I mean, she just grew a leg and now she's walking as if nothing's happened."  
  
Sailor Io sat down in Sun's chair. "I'm sure she's ok now. You can't keep her down."  
  
Nodoka tapped Io on her shoulder to get her attention. "Well, if it's all right with you Io, I'd like to talk to you and Sun in private when she gets back."  
  
Io turned to face her mother in law with a hint of worry. "Whatever for mother?"  
  
"Well, I've got good news but I want to tell the two of you so I don't have to repeat myself."  
  
"I'm sure Sun would like hear some good news for a change. We've had enough bad news for the last few days it would be a nice change of pace."  
  
Sailor Moon whined. "What's taking Sun so long? I didn't take this long to get here."  
  
Mars commented, "Can it dumpling head. The only reason we got here so quickly was because you said it was an emergency."  
  
Moon stood on her toes to look Mars in the eye. "Well it was! Ukyou was in trouble."  
  
Jupiter got between the two Senshi. "Will the two of you stop arguing? I'm tired of it."  
  
Neo Moon leaned against the wall laughing at some sort of private joke. "Mars? Moon? Stopping their argument? Ha ha ha!"  
  
Ukyou opened the door of the bathroom wearing her black leggings, blue chef's jacket and white bow in her hair. "Now that's more like it. Now, has anyone seen my peel and my katana?"  
  
A bright flash appeared in fight in front of Ukyou startling the girl. Sailor Sun was balancing two banana splits and several parfaits in her arms. "Could someone give me a hand?"  
  
Moon lunged forward snatching the two splits. "Yes!" With the trademark grace and speed of Usagi Tsukino she promptly set to break her speed record in the consumption of confectionary delights.  
  
"Mom! Control yourself!" Neo Moon took some parfaits that Sun held that looked like they were about to fall to ground. "Is that better Sun?"  
  
Sun nodded then handed out desserts to everyone by name. "Yeah, thanks. Now I got one for everybody I think, let's see. Here is yours Mercury, Neo Moon, Jupiter, Venus, Io, Mars, Ukyou, Konatsu, and Mom." She glanced at the blur that was Sailor Moon. "I see she's already got hers. That leaves this one for me." She licked her lips in anticipation. "Wow! I didn't know that being a Senshi had benefits like this." She munched on her parfait with absolutely no feminine grace whatsoever.  
  
Mercury waited until her bite was swallowed before asking. "Benefits?"  
  
"Why free ice cream of course! I beamed into my favorite parlor in Nerima and they just gave me this stuff. Man! I should do that more often."  
  
Io got angry. "Sun! It's already bad enough that you scam free food as a girl but that's going too far!"  
  
"Hey! With all the stuff I went through yesterday, I deserve a break." She sped up her devouring because she saw that Moon was almost done with the second banana split and years of eating with her father kicked in her food survival instincts. She wasn't going to let Moon near her parfait.  
  
Nodoka glared at her daughter. "Sun, please be more ladylike in your eating. How many times have I told you to chew your food and take the time to enjoy the flavor?"  
  
Sun swallowed the last bite and licked her lips clean. "Aw mom."  
  
"Shall I step up your bridal training?"  
  
Sun gulped. "I'll behave! Honest I will!"  
  
Nodoka directed her attention to the leader of the Senshi. "And you young lady, you are not setting a fine example either."  
  
Sailor Moon answered with a burp as she licked her spoon clean. "Sorry Mrs. Saotome."  
  
Nodoka shot a glance at the tall pink haired Senshi. "You're her daughter?"  
  
Neo Moon looked away as she hid her parfait from her mother's view. "Yes I am."  
  
"I must say Sailor Moon, you've aged very gracefully."  
  
Most of the Senshi gave looks of embarrassment as Sailor Moon seeped into the floor. Moon spoke in a very soft voice. "I'm not that old."  
  
Neo Moon gave a small laugh. "I'll explain it for you Mrs. Saotome. I'm visiting from the future and I'm her future daughter. I haven't been born yet in this century."  
  
Nodoka gave Kasumi response number one. "Oh my."  
  
Io took the last bite of her parfait. "Well mother, could you now tell us the good news." She tossed her spent spoon in the trash.  
  
Sun looked at her mother. "What news? Did Kuno finally get a clue and move to Africa?"  
  
"Kuno? No, it isn't about him. I've sold my property and I came here to start looking for a new place for all of us to stay." She smiled at her daughter. "We can be together again."  
  
"What about dad?" Sun looked sullen. "You know he's going to want to come around from time to time."  
  
Nodoka had a gleam in her eye that indicated that she meant business. It was the same gleam she had when she was about to invoke the seppuku agreement on Ranma when she thought he was a cross-dresser. "Don't worry about your father. I've made... arrangements." She showed her teeth in a predatory smile.  
  
Sun and Io looked at each other in trepidation. Sun felt a little better at the revelation her mother gave her about her father. "It you say so mom. You know what dad's going to say if he ever found about this." She tugged on her dress for effect.  
  
Sun's mother smiled even more. "It's not you hadn't had practice keeping secrets, right Ranko? Or shall I say, Ranko and Mr. Panda."  
  
"You know mom. I kinda like that idea." Sun laughed. "I think it'll be fun doing to dad what we did to you all that time."  
  
"At least in this case, you'll simply be who you really are most of the time instead of pretending to be someone you're not. Besides..." Nodoka gazed at the ceiling in delight. "He deserves it after... after..." She started to form a tear.  
  
Sun rushed to her mother's side holding onto her shoulders to support her. "Mom! Mom, I'm not leaving you again."  
  
"I know." She held her daughter in return. "I know."  
  
Venus and Moon were swooning at the scene in front of them. Venus sighed with hearts in her eyes. "Oh, how beautiful!"  
  
Neo Moon grabbed Moon and Venus's hands. "Let's go. We've done enough damage here. Jupiter?"  
  
Jupiter, Mars and Mercury formed the rest of the circle for the Sailor teleport. Mercury called out to Ukyou. "Ukyou, I'll stop by your restaurant day after tomorrow to see how you're doing."  
  
Ukyou waved to the circle of Senshi. "I can't wait!" The girls glowed then vanished from sight.  
  
Konatsu cooed from the corner. "Ah, to be a Senshi, it's every girl's dream."  
  
Ukyou wanted to say something about Konatsu's real gender but decided against it. "Let's go home."  
  
Sun pulled back from her mother's embrace. "Want a ride? I can get you both back to Nerima in a minute."  
  
Ukyou thought about it for moment. "No." She tapped her new foot to the ground. "I feel like walking today. By the way, where's my baker's peel?"  
  
Io answered. "Your stuff's downstairs. They don't allow weapons in the hospital so when we brought them they placed it in storage. You can get them back when you check out."  
  
"Well then, I guess I'm checking out." She walked over to Sun and kissed her on the cheek much to Io's dismay. "Thanks Ran-chan."  
  
Sun grumbled. "It's Sailor Sun when I'm in the dress. Please remember that, the disguise magic doesn't work when you're calling out my name."  
  
"Ok Sailor Sun." Ukyou swung around and kissed Io on the cheek. "Thanks Akane-chan. Thank you very much." She backed away to the door. "C'mon Konatsu, let's try out my new leg." She opened the door and strutted out with her kimono-clad kunoichi close behind.  
  
Nodoka embraced her two family members. "Well, I've got to check out too." She touched her bandage on her head. "Although I think I might need a little help getting home."  
  
Io held her mother-in-laws hand. "You're coming home with us."  
  
Sun placed her hands on Nodoka's as well. "Let's go home together."  
  
  
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"What do you mean you lost it?" Ukyou was shouting at the admissions officer. "Those things are irreplaceable! I want my katana and my spatula back and I want 'em NOW!"  
  
Konatsu slid into the shadows to avoid attracting attention. He snuck around while everyone was distracted to sneak a peek at the storage room and get Ukyou's things.  
  
"Now Miss Kuonji, please calm yourself." The security guard held out his hands in a warding gesture. "I'm certain we can straighten this out."  
  
"You're damn right you're going to straighten this out." Ukyou's battle aura flared up setting a small scrap of paper on the desk on fire. "Fork over my stuff before I get mad."  
  
The admissions office pulled up Ukyou's file on the computer monitor. "I don't have anything listed that belongs to you. You were a carry-in patient admitted yesterday for... Uh..." She glanced over her desk to look at Ukyou's lower body. "I'm sorry, I must have the wrong file." She typed a few keys on the keyboard. "Do you spell your name differently? I only have one Ukyou Kuonji listed and she's not you."  
  
"Now we're getting somewhere." She scribbled her kanji on a piece of paper and handed it to the officer. "I was admitted yesterday morning with a missing leg."  
  
The officer froze, stood up, looked at Ukyou's leggings again and sat back down. "Did you say that you had a missing leg?"  
  
"Oh yeah." She looked at her hand. "My hand too. But that doesn't matter anyways, just where's my stuff?"  
  
The officer just sat there in stunned silence. "Uh..."  
  
Konatsu appeared behind Ukyou whispering into her ear. "I've got your stuff. Don't worry about it mistress."  
  
"Oh..." She whispered back and continued her tirade. "Never mind, I'll be back later. Where do I sign to get out of here?"  
  
"Here's your discharge papers Miss Kuonji." The admissions officer noticed that it was marked that the bill was to be sent to the Japanese government. She thought to herself, "This girl must have some powerful friends."  
  
"Thanks! But you really need to improve your food. Why don't you serve okonomiyaki to your patients?" Konatsu waved for Ukyou to follow him out. "Gotta go." The two of them exited the building.  
  
The officer stood up again to watch the pair leave. "Wow, they've really improved on the artificial legs. I can't tell that that's a prosthetic leg."  
  
Outside the hospital, Ukyou stopped her kunoichi. "I hope you've got my things because I'm not leaving without 'em."  
  
"Of course my mistress." He pulled out of his kimono Ukyou's katana and spatula. How he was able to hide a battle spatula on his person in a tight fitting kimono was a secret only known by hidden weapons masters such as Konatsu and Mousse.  
  
"Konatsu-chan, please call me Ukyou. I don't really like it when you call me mistress. It gives people the wrong idea." Ukyou strapped her spatula back onto her back and her katana to her belt.  
  
Konatsu bowed in appreciation. "Of course Ukyou-chan."  
  
"That doesn't sound right either. How about just Ukyou or maybe Ucchan?"  
  
Konatsu held his hands to his chin like a sweet little girl. "Ucchan?" He bowed again. "Anything for you Ucchan."  
  
Ukyou groaned as she regretted her decision. "Now listen..." She felt a strange tingle in her hair as if she was receiving a signal. "Uh..." She focused on the little voice that she was hearing.  
  
Konatsu got up from his bow. "Is there something wrong Ucchan?"  
  
"Shhh..." She held up her finger to her lips as she listened to the unseen voices coming from her head. She could almost swear that she had odangos in her hair but brushed off the thought since she never wore her hair like that. She heard a distant scream. "That way! Hurry!" Ukyou darted forward taking to the rooftops with Konatsu in pursuit.  
  
Konatsu strained to keep up with Ukyou's incredible speed. "Where're we going?"  
  
"Someone's in trouble. Faster!" Ukyou accelerated jumping off of a roof, over a street, and onto the roof of the building on the other side.  
  
Konatsu had to drop to the street, run on top of cars and leap off an awning to follow Ukyou's high speed lead. He was rapidly getting tired and slowed down to maintain his pace without succumbing to exhaustion.  
  
Ukyou ran for a full minute making jumps and sprinting at the speed of a Senshi. She stopped on a single story building in a suburb to get her bearings. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the voice she had heard and felt that she was very close to her target. A police siren wailed nearby attracting her attention making the girl dart toward the sound.  
  
She stood in a street corner in the middle of a residential neighborhood and saw several people screaming and running in her direction. Ukyou jumped over the small crowd and ran in the opposite direction to whatever frightened them. A loud growl instantly told Ukyou what she needed to know as the unhooked her battle spatula. She ran around a corner finding a baby Godzilla clawing at a sealed sports utility vehicle with a man inside trying to stay away from the beast's claws. The monster beat against the driver side door to gain entrance.  
  
"Hey! Lizard face!" Ukyou made a pose pointing her spatula at the three and a half meter tall iguana. "What you're doing pisses me off and in the name of the Moon, I'm going to punish you!" Ukyou blinked her eyes as she realized what exactly she had just spoken. "Ah, the hell with it!" She ran toward the beast as it completely ignored Ukyou's speech.  
  
She swung her spatula at the creature's head to stun it. It retaliated with a swing of its tail, which Ukyou jumped over. She did a cartwheel then spun the blade outward to deliver a cut to the thing's back. The monster reeled back and inhaled to launch a breath attack.  
  
Ukyou jumped out of the way as a column of blue fire roasted the pavement she once occupied. "Ok, that's it. I've had enough of you and everyone who looks like you." She tossed her spatula aside, unsheathed her katana and landed on the roof of the car. "Time to say goodnight. Yah!" She swung down cleaving the beast in two.  
  
  
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Konatsu ran toward the scene of the battle. Ukyou was cleaning her weapon with a towel she got from police officer. "What took you so long?"  
  
"You could've waited for me my Mist... Ucchan." He gulped air as he caught his breath.  
  
"People were in trouble. I got here just in time." She pointed to the body on the ground. "The living alligator bag over there was about to kill someone."  
  
Konatsu stood incredulously looking at the baby Godzilla that Ukyou felled. "You could've gotten hurt fighting those things again Ucchan."  
  
"I had it completely under control." She got up from the ice chest she was sitting on. "I need your help."  
  
"You've only need to ask. What shall I do for you?"  
  
Ukyou grinned and pulled out a carving knife. "We've got some work to do."  
  
  
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Ukyou and Konatsu were getting the restaurant ready for business. Konatsu was sweeping while Ukyou was cleaning the grill. Passersby were gathering outside waiting for the shop curtain to go up. Several people were muttering among themselves at the new shop sign out front.  
  
Ukyou poured the batter and cooked up an okonomiyaki. She added the new toppings and made sure it was cooked all the way through. She poured her sauce and took a bite.  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
"What's the matter Ucchan?" Konatsu had a look of worry.  
  
"I was hoping for... I don't know. Something different." Ukyou took another bite confirming her suspicions. "It figures. Oh well, let 'em in anyways."  
  
"Very well, but what's the matter with your new recipe."  
  
Ukyou sighed. "It tastes just like chicken."  
  
Konatsu placed the shop curtain up and the restaurant was filled to capacity in moments. Ukyou's flyer with Konatsu to spread it around town did the trick. Ucchan's was going to do the most business it had ever done in months.  
  
A flyer fell from the hand of one of the patrons onto the floor.  
  
It read...  
  
"Taste the terror of Tokyo! Gojira okonomiyaki exclusively at Ucchan's okonomiyaki while supplies last!"  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from reading your dirty little mind and publishing what I find.  
  
Epilogue to follow.  
  
Bill Heineman  
February 8th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
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	19. Epilogue

Sailor Ranko - The Harder They Fall: Chapter 19 Epilogue  
The ongoing saga of "Sailor Ranko", set after "Sailor Ranko: Just Add Water"  
  
Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Fire and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel and acknowledging "Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun" by Arthur Hansen  
By Bill Heineman  
  
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or tie me up in fish sausage and throw me into a pit of starving cats.  
  
  
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It was very early in the morning in Chibi Usa's bedroom. The girl from the future had locked herself in for some privacy while she had her tiny Moon computer plugged into her futuristic gene-sampling gun. A holographic image of a DNA helix rotated in the air with computer readouts floating about. The computer spoke in a soft female voice. "Genome sequencing on specimen Ailuropoda Melanoleuca / Giant Panda complete." Usa had a stern look on her face as she touched a few buttons that were floating in the air to log the data into the computer's crystalline memory matrix.  
  
There was a knock at the door. Usa shut her computer off which made the images vanish and closed the lid. She grabbed her gun and stashed it and her computer into subspace. She glanced around to make sure no 30th century technology was visible before she answered the knock in a sweet voice. "Who is it?"  
  
"It's me, Usagi. Let me in."  
  
Usa gave out a small sigh as she unlocked the bedroom door to see her future mother standing in the hall. "Hi mom."  
  
Usagi stood teary eyed in the doorway. "Mom? I'm still not used to you calling me that." She peered around Usa to see that her daughter had already begun packing. "So, you're really leaving?"  
  
Usa silently turned around and opened a dresser drawer pulling out the neatly folded clothes and setting them on her bed. "Yes, I've got to go back." She opened another drawer to grab its contents. "You're up early. You usually never get up before eight."  
  
"I couldn't sleep." Usagi watched Usa pack her things in preparation for her trip back to the 30th century. Usa had no trouble stuffing away the piles of clothes, jewelry, posters and other souvenirs that she had acquired in her brief time with the Tsukino's into Luna-P's storage hatch. The moon princess begged her daughter to stay. "Why do you have to leave? You only just got here. I'm going to miss you."  
  
Usa folded up a kimono she recently purchased and stuffed it into Luna-P as well. "I know mom. But my job's done here and I've got to return this before it expires." She pulled out the futuristic looking silver gun from nothingness. She examined a control panel on the weapon looking thing, pressed some buttons and it ejected a tiny glass ampoule. She held the little capsule up to the morning sunlight from the open window to gaze at the amber color of the liquid contained within. "There are some very impatient people who've waited a very long time for what's in this thing."  
  
Usagi stared at the thimble-sized object with eyes filled with childlike wonder. "What's that?" She held out her hand to try to touch the ampoule.  
  
"It's a refined sample of DNA from a Chinese Panda bear, several pandas in fact, although I stayed away from Genma Saotome's Panda form. I didn't want that DNA messing up the gene pool." She giggled at the thought. Sailor Sun of the future had begged her to not to get Panda DNA from her father. She held the ampoule closer to her mother so she could get a good look at it. "I got this one from a visit to the Tokyo zoo. This..." She pressed another button and another ampoule popped out. "It's from a California Condor. This just so happens to be the time that the Yokohama and Tokyo zoos have several species of animals that sadly didn't make it to the 30th century." She gently opened a small felt covered box that looked like it would contain a wedding ring or other expensive jewelry. It had slots for several ampoules in it. She carefully slid the two new ampoules into the empty slots.  
  
"Is that why you came here? To get DNA samples of extinct creatures?" Usagi held her hands to her cheeks in surprise. "Oh, Usa, I... I... I don't know what to say." The future queen of Crystal Tokyo was proud of her daughter for performing such a selfless act.  
  
"There isn't much to say mom. You're the one who provided the funding. I just helped out. I'm sorry I lied to you earlier. I hope you'll understand." She extracted several more ampoules and placed them in the remaining slots.  
  
"I funded it? Wow." Usagi focused some of her pride on herself, and then shuddered at a thought. "Wait a minute... You didn't get samples of that thing did you?" Usagi sat on Usa's bed in dread. "Tell me you didn't... Did you?"  
  
Usa folded her DNA sampler and inserted it into Luna-P for the trip home. "That's why I'm here at this exact moment in time. It was the only period in history where I could get a variety of Godzilla DNA."  
  
Usagi buried her face in her hands. "Did I go completely crazy in the future? Why would I want something like that... that giant thing running around?"  
  
"Don't worry mother. You've got plenty of time to worry about that." She held the last ampoule in her hand with a look of triumph. Smiling, she placed the most prized sample into the storage case and sealed it shut. She delicately set it inside of Luna-P and it vanished within. "Well, I'm packed and ready to go."  
  
Usagi sat quietly for a moment at a loss for words memorizing the face of her daughter to be. She didn't want her child to leave again. "Chibi-Usa, when will you come back?"  
  
"I don't know mom. Wait... I take it back." She gave a devilish smile. "I'll be back before you know it."  
  
Usagi brightened up and stood up next to her tall child. "Well then, I'd guess you'd better go back so you can drop off that stuff and come back home."  
  
Usa felt warm being in her mother's presence. "Mom, I'm always home, here or there." She gave a wistful look out the window. "I'm never far from you." She glanced at the alarm clock next to her bed. "Oh, look at the time, I've got an errand to run. I'll be back soon."  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I need to visit some friends."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Oh... Some people you know." Usa clapped her hands twice and Luna-P flew behind Usa to follow her. Diana popped her head up from the bed, and then dropped it back down to go back into her catnap.  
  
Usagi folded her arms like a parent would before she'd scold her child. "Stop being evasive. I'm your mother you know. Who?"  
  
"If you really need to know mom. It's Konatsu, Shampoo and Ukyou."  
  
"Ukyou? Oh... Yeah... Those guys..." Usagi felt bad about the suffering Ukyou endured for Pluto and Saturn's sake. "I think I should go with you too."  
  
"No!" Usa shook her head violently then calmed down a little. "Not right now, I... I really want to say goodbye to them alone." Usagi was taken aback by Usa's change of demeanor. Usa continued in a more subdued tone. "But later on mom, you really should get to know them better."  
  
Usagi knew that she would spend some time to get to know these friends of Ranma. "I will. They seem to be nice people. I think Ukyou would be a good friend. I don't about Shampoo though."  
  
Usa gave a Sailor Pluto smile. The one that the black-skirted Senshi had when she knew something that everyone else didn't. "Ukyou's someone you can always depend on mom. Shampoo, well, she just needs to be straightened out. Anyways, I've gotta go or I'll miss the next train to Nerima."  
  
"Why not ask Sun to beam you over? She... I mean he's home right now and he's had enough time to rest so he could teleport again."  
  
"Yeah, why not? I don't think he'll mind." She pulled out her communicator. "Don't forget mom, I'm leaving at eight o'clock tonight at the dock on the lake."  
  
"I'll make sure we'll be there to see you off."  
  
  
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Ranma emerged from the shower wearing his red Chinese shirt and black drawstring pants. He was refreshed after his workout with Akane and Makoto on the roof of the apartment building. He tossed the towel into the hamper then sat on the couch opening his homework folder. He grumbled at how much schoolwork he still needed to complete with only an hour left before he had to be in class at Juuban High.  
  
Akane was in the kitchen doing things for breakfast that Ranma just didn't want to think about. Makoto was in the bathroom changing from her karate gi, showering and getting ready for school. Nodoka was out looking at potential apartments or homes for the three of them to move into.   
  
Ranma's Senshi communicator beeped. Akane poked her head out of the tiny kitchen. "Now what?"  
  
"I hope it's just someone wanting a ride on the Sailor Sun Taxi service. I really don't want to deal with another disaster right now." He pulled his communicator out of his shirt pocket, leaned back on the couch and answered it. "Sun here."  
  
A mature Chibi-Usa's voice was on the other side. "Can I get a lift to Nerima?"  
  
Ranma spirits was lifted, as he was proven right. He had a happy thought, since this was a perfect way to ditch Akane's attempt at breakfast. "Yeah, why the heck not? I'll be over in a few minutes. Where are you?"  
  
"My bedroom, Neo Moon out."  
  
Akane gave Ranma the glare of death at the mere mention of the word bedroom. Ranma held out his hands. "Hey! It's not like that ok! Gee, gimme a break once in a while will ya?"  
  
Mrs. Akane Saotome made a humph sound as she marched back into the kitchen. A sizzling sound erupted and a burst of flame brightened the room. "AHH! Don't burn!"  
  
Ranma muttered very quietly so that Akane wouldn't hear. "Just in time." He pulled out his henshin stick from subspace holding it high over his head with an air of joy since he was saved from having to eat his wife's cooking. "Sun Star Power! Make Up!" The Senshi of the Sun transformed into her red headed female form complete with a red-skirted Sailor suit, yellow bows, red boots and flashed out.  
  
  
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Ukyou stared out the window of her restaurant pondering the events of the previous few days. She sat in deep thought, smiling to herself since she hadn't a care in the world. Many people loved her. She had friends who fought for her, suffered for her and gave a piece of themselves for her. She wasn't alone. She was never going to be alone again.  
  
Ukyou gave a sigh of happiness as she prepared to go to Furinkan High School. She was wearing her female school uniform since she just felt like dressing like the girl she was for today. Konatsu was in his room sleeping since he was totally exhausted from the dinner rush yesterday since the restaurant was packed with people trying out the Gojira okonomiyaki. The new menu item was a huge success and Ukyou determined that she would run out of the meat in a week. She hoped that Ranma would stop by soon so she could give him one before the meat was all gone.  
  
Ukyou paused to sit down on a stool. She touched her new leg and felt the love that her new friends had in the gift they bestowed upon her. She removed her left shoe, lifted up her leg and wiggled her toes in admiration. She held out her left hand to look at the perfect skin and bone structure it possessed. Her old scar she had from years ago on her pinky was gone. Her hand was perfect in every detail.  
  
Ukyou thought about the faces of the Senshi when they were healing her. The love and friendship they all shared was a thing of perfect beauty. Ukyou envied Ranma and Akane for being part of that circle of love and she silently thanked them for letting her be a part of the circle, even if it was but for a brief moment.  
  
"Hello Ukyou."  
  
Ukyou heard the voice from the doorway of the restaurant. Neo Moon walked in and sat next to the chef. She was dressed in a simple blue-skirted red-bowed Senshi uniform that Sailor Moon usually wore in her early days. It wasn't the white, blue and yellow skirt with the fancy jewelry in her hair that she wore when she came to heal her at the hospital. Ukyou sat in envy of the Senshi. She was happy to have a famous visitor come to her little place of business. "Hello there sugar. What brings you all the way out here? Come to collect your free meal?"  
  
Neo Moon crossed her legs, as she got comfortable on the stool. "Sugar? Do you call everyone that Ukyou?"  
  
"I only call my friends that." Ukyou relaxed on her stool as well. She didn't recognize the girl because of the disguise magic and the change in costume, but the pink hair was a dead giveaway. "Now, you're Neo Moon right?"  
  
"Yes I am." Neo Moon looked at the Ucchan's. "This is a nice place. How long have you had it?"  
  
"A little over a year." Ukyou sighed. "It's not much, but it's all I have left."  
  
"Not much? How could you say such a thing?" The Senshi uttered in awe. "You're what? Seventeen? Eighteen? And you own your own restaurant? Not many people can say that they had own their own successful business around their eighteenth birthday!"  
  
Ukyou held back a laugh. "Successful? I barely make enough money to survive. What with the taxes, the insurance, the fights... Oh yeah, the fights..." She shook her head from the number of times someone or something went through the front plate glass window. She made a silent prayer to her father in thanks that her business never suffered the same amount of damage that the Tendo's had to endure.  
  
"I forgot. This is the only place in Tokyo that suffers more damage than Juuban." The future girl joined in the silent laugh at the absurdity of Nerima. The tales of this part of Tokyo were stuff of legend in the 30th century. Most historians still debated on whether the recorded events were fact or fiction. Only the Senshi from Nerima had the credibility to convince the scholars that the stories were indeed true.  
  
"Yep, this is Nerima, home of the madness and chaos. Although, Shiba Park will probably rate number one in destruction for a while." Ukyou glanced at her watch. She only had fifteen minutes left to leave for school. "Gimme a sec honey." She got up to get behind the grill. "Is there anything I can cook up for you while you're here? My okonomiyaki's the best there is." She jumped over the counter. She turned the valves to send gas under the grill. A hand held lighter was put under the steel plates and blue flames formed under them.  
  
"Yes, your okonomiyaki is the best." The Senshi read the menu on the wall and picked out her favorite. "I'd like the shrimp and scallops one please."  
  
"Scallops? One shrimp and scallops okonomiyaki coming right up. Sure ya don't want to try some Gojira?"  
  
Neo Moon laughed. "No, not really. You can say I've had my fill of those things to last a lifetime."  
  
With a skill of a master of the art, Ukyou mixed the batter, poured the oil on the griddle, spun her spatula and began cooking.  
  
The Senshi turned her head side to side looking for Ukyou's companion. "By the way, where's Konatsu? Isn't she supposed to work here with you?"  
  
Ukyou snickered at the pronoun error. "He's sleeping in his room. The poor guy had a rough time, stayed up all night while I was at the hospital."  
  
The Senshi blinked her eyes twice. "He?"  
  
"Yeah, he. Konatsu's a guy, didn't you know?" Ukyou flipped the okonomiyaki on the griddle. "He was raised as a girl and it made him what he is today."  
  
"B-but the h-hair, t-the v-voice, t-the face, the c-clothes... T-that's impossible..." Neo Moon stuttered.  
  
"Nope, not impossible at all. He's pretty convincing. He had me fooled for quite a while when I first met him."  
  
A revelation came over Neo Moon. "I get it! He's got a Jusenkyo curse like Ranma, doesn't he?"  
  
"Nope. He's 100% male, last time I checked." The chef giggled at the thought of actually checking if he really was a male.  
  
"B-but she's Sai..." Moon stopped herself and felt a headache coming on. "Never mind." The girl was going to make some inquiries when she got back.  
  
"She's what? You're really confusing me sugar. However, not as confused as he is."  
  
"I can understand that. Was she... I mean he going to do anything about it?"  
  
Ukyou lowered her voice and put down her spatula. "He's got some choices to make. He just hasn't got the courage to make a final decision yet." She turned to look over to where Konatsu's little room was. "Part of him wants to jump into the Nyannichuan and get the curse made permanent and part of him wants to explore his male side. Sometimes when I look at him, I see a bit of what Ran-chan was going through except in Konatsu's case, he really wants to be a girl while Ran-chan fought it tooth and nail."  
  
Neo Moon looked at Ukyou and scratched her head in confusion. "He? You sure? Well then that does make some twisted sense now that I think about it."  
  
"You're really freaking me out there sugar. Just what are you talking about?"  
  
"Well... How do I say this?" Neo Moon bit her lip as she thought about the best way to ask. "Aren't the two of you a couple?"  
  
"Ha!" The chef flipped the cabbage-laced pancake on the griddle. "No, we're not a couple. I took him in when he really needed a friend." She reached for her famous sauce and deftly painted the surface with the tasty substance. She looked over to her side toward Konatsu's little room. "He says he loves me. But... The cross dressing really bugs me."  
  
Neo Moon gave a cat like smile. "And you don't think that you dressing as a boy is a problem eh?"  
  
"Hey! If you knew what my life was like, you wouldn't question why I dressed that way."  
  
"And you think that Konatsu's life was any different? I heard that her life sucked big time until she came into your care."  
  
Ukyou sighed. "I suppose. I'm still uncomfortable with it."   
  
Neo Moon reveled in the juicy irony. "Yet, you chased Ranma, even though he dressed up as a girl too."  
  
The chef got defensive slamming her hand on the counter. "That's different! He's really a girl when he does that. I mean, REALLY a girl!" Ukyou sighed thinking about her Ran-chan and how she lost him.  
  
Neo Moon caught the difference of expression on Ukyou's face. "Tell me what's wrong."  
  
Ukyou gave a hint of a smile then went back to being sullen. "It's nothing you can fix with your magic I'm afraid. In fact, your magic kinda ruined my last hope."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, how long do Senshi's live? Tell me the truth." She already knew the answer to the question; she just hoped that she was incorrect.  
  
The Senshi thought about the question and slowly shook her head. "I really don't know. We can die like anyone else, but our magic prevents us from aging. So in theory, we're immortal."  
  
"I kinda figured that. Well, there went that idea." Ukyou sulked.  
  
"Let me guess, you hoped that you would somehow outlive Akane. Am I right?"  
  
Ukyou waved a spatula in Moon's face. "You're pretty good you know." She knew her plan was exposed. "Either that or hope that Akane would have another one of her temper tantrums and Ran-chan would get a divorce. Seeing them acting they way they do now, a divorce is pretty unlikely. The final nail in the coffin was when I found out they were both Senshi." Ukyou checked on the pancake before her and slid it off the griddle onto a plate. She softly continued, "There went my idea of being Ukyou Saotome."  
  
The Senshi held her hands together, tapping her index fingers into each other as she got up the nerve to say something. "You know, there're other ways to become a Saotome."  
  
"Sorry sugar, but bigamy is not in my vocabulary. Shampoo however, would marry him yesterday if he would agree to it."  
  
"No. No. I mean, you could be adopted and be his sister." Neo Moon didn't want to beat around the bush.  
  
Ukyou let out her frustration. "Sister! Ranma already treats me like one. That's been the problem in the first place." Ukyou put the finishing touches on the meal in front of her to calm herself down. She pondered the concept of joining the Saotome's through adoption. "I don't know. It's not like I have a family anymore."  
  
In moments, the smell of fresh Japanese pancakes filled the air and Neo Moon went back to the future again in her mind. Her mouth watered as the aroma overpowered her senses. "Ah, just the way I like it. You really are the best."  
  
"You sound like Ran-chan. Here ya go sugar, on the house." Ukyou put the plate in front of her visitor. She slid over the mayonnaise, horseradish and special sauce containers so Neo Moon could put the personal touches on her meal. Ukyou put away the small container of scallops back in the refrigerator. She stopped for a moment to digest a piece of news. "Hey, you said 'just the way you like it'? Have I cooked for you before?" Ukyou turned off the heat to her griddle.  
  
Neo Moon froze in mid-bite. She slowly resumed chewing, placing her chopsticks down she confessed. "Yes, you have."  
  
"I knew it! Were you in that group of girls that Ranma came with a while ago?" Ukyou concentrated on the names and faces of the five other girls that were with the Saotomes. They were all wearing kimonos and had just come from a bridal training session with Nodoka. It was hilarious for Ukyou to see Ranma in a pretty kimono but she couldn't remember any of the girls in the group having pink hair.  
  
Neo Moon had no memory of the visit Ukyou was talking about. She decided to play it safe by sticking to the harmless truth. "No. I've never been here with Ranma."  
  
"Well, you didn't come here as a Senshi, that's for sure. I'd remember that. So if you don't mind me asking, what's your real name?"  
  
"Just call me Sailor Neo Moon since all of my friends call me that. I can't tell you my normal name. Even if I did..." The Senshi got very sad. "It wouldn't matter anyways. You see the reason that I'm here is... Well... Because I'm going away and I won't be seeing you for a while." Neo Moon had a mixture of happy and sad emotions flowing with her words. "I came to say goodbye."  
  
Ukyou was a little confused that someone who would call her a friend would be leaving so soon. "You're leaving? Is it just you or are all of you going somewhere?" Ukyou worried if Ran-chan was going to be disappearing for a while and if so, why didn't he come to tell her himself.  
  
"No. No. It's only me. I... I just wanted to see you before I left." Neo Moon had a look of joy on her face.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" Ukyou blushed. "I'm flattered. If it was for what happened back in Juuban, it uh... It was nothing." Ukyou studied the floor finding the pattern on the rubber mat she was standing on interesting.  
  
"It was everything Ukyou. You and the others were very brave. I just wanted to tell you that." Neo Moon wanted to tell her a lot more. She had to watch what she said since she didn't want to get her friend into trouble with too much knowledge of the future. Neo Moon saw that the giant spatula on Ukyou's back was her new one. "How do you like your new spatula?"  
  
Ukyou reached over her shoulder to touch the utensil. She gasped, "Was it you who gave this to me?"  
  
"Well... All I did was deliver it. Someone else gave it to you." Neo Moon gave a guilty grin.  
  
"Who? Was it Ranma?" Ukyou held her hopes high.  
  
"No. It wasn't. Uh... The person left a note with it. Did you get it?"  
  
Ukyou sank a bit since she thought for sure that Ranma was her benefactor. "Yes. I got it. It didn't say whom it was from. I could have sworn that Ran-chan was the one who gave this to me."  
  
"Ranma's your friend Ukyou. More than you could ever know." Neo Moon held her friend's shoulder with just a touch of a grip. "You're surrounded by people who love you, care for you. Even, they would die for you. Never forget that..." She chose her words carefully. "My friend." The Senshi placed another hand on Ukyou's shoulder and held her tight in a friendly embrace. Ukyou didn't know why this Senshi felt this way toward her but she returned the embrace even though it was nowhere near as passionate as the Senshi's.  
  
Neo Moon shed a tear of happiness for her friend. She let her go. "I have to go now Ukyou." She took a step back. "I'll see you and Konatsu again, someday."  
  
Ukyou sat in her stool behind the grill watching the Senshi walk into the street and out of her life for now. She was stunned and sat for a few moments contemplating what just transpired. She shook her head and muttered. "Those Senshi are a weird bunch."  
  
The okonomiyaki chef brushed herself off and put away the Neo Moon's plate. She had to get to school quickly to avoid bucket duty.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Sailor Sun was performing a kata that resembled an Olympic gymnastic routine in front of a crowd in a little park near Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. She was waiting for Sailor Neo Moon to get back from her meeting with Ukyou. She had amassed a large crowd that included Tatewaki Kuno. For once, the kendoist resisted his urge to glomp the object of his desire in fear of the retribution the Senshi had threatened him with. Gosunkugi was snapping pictures of the red haired Senshi from the sidelines.   
  
Kuno stood in awe of the powerful grace, beauty and skill that was demonstrated before him. He silently thought to himself. "I will somehow learn about these Senshi marriage laws. I will show her that I am truly worthy of her love and devotion." He watched the Senshi until another appeared to join her.  
  
Neo Moon came up to Sun and coughed to get her attention. Sun spun to place a kick on her head, which Moon quickly dodged. Sun stood in an attack stance. "Got time for a few moves?"  
  
"Not really. You know where I need to go next."  
  
"You know, you could just walk it. It's only four blocks away from here." She threw a punch.  
  
Neo Moon blocked the punch with an arm. "Yeah, and we can invite your fan club to follow us. Use your head Sun."  
  
"You mean like this?" She suddenly grabbed the tall girl's shoulders. "Sun Beam Transport!" The pair disappeared in a flash of light.  
  
Kuno blinked at the empty space that occupied where his red haired love had vanished. He pulled out his bokken to the dispersing crowd. "Mark my words! She is worthy of my attention! She will beg to join the house of Kuno!"  
  
No one in the audience cared.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
The two girls appeared in the alley behind the Cat Cafe in a flash of bright light. Sailor Sun brushed off her skirt. "I'll wait for you here."  
  
Neo Moon led Sun by the hand. "No, I want you to come inside with me."  
  
"Uh, I hate to break this to ya, but I don't really wanna go in there. Shampoo might glomp me and then Akane would get all mad."  
  
The pink haired girl tapped Sun on the forehand in a playful gesture. "She wants to glomp Ranma, not Sailor Sun. Unless... Does she know who you are?"  
  
"Thank god no!" Sun held her arms in a pose of surprise. "No way in hell am I telling her who I am!"  
  
"Then there shouldn't be a problem then should it?"  
  
"I.. I guess you're right." Sun was unsure. "I think."  
  
"Look at the bright side, they'll probably give us a free meal."  
  
Sailor Sun brightened up and led the way. "Why didn't you say so?" She briskly walked down the alley to the front entrance.  
  
Moon snickered and thought. "You haven't changed much in nine hundred years."  
  
The bell at the door of the Cat Cafe rang greeting a new customer to the empty restaurant. Mousse approached the entryway and held out the menu to the statue near the entrance. "Welcome to the Cat Cafe. How many are in your party?"  
  
Sailors Neo Moon and Sun looked at each other. Sun spoke to the pink haired one. "He really should get laser eye surgery." She tapped Mousse's shoulder. "There are two of us."  
  
Mousse turned to the source of the sound and waved his hand to the Senshi to be seated. The two girls sat in a booth and were handed menus. "Today's special is beef ramen with water chestnuts. It's a family recipe." He noticed the girls' clothes seemed odd. "Are you two on the cheerleading squad at Furinkan High?"  
  
Sun replied with sarcasm. "Yeah, we just came back from Martial Arts Cheerleading practice." She reached over and pulled Mousse's glasses from his forehead onto his nose.  
  
The hidden weapons master adjusted his glasses and felt weak at what he saw. There were two Sailor Senshi sitting in the booth in front of him. He stuttered. "H-h-honored guests, I am unworthy of your presence." He bowed to the two girls.  
  
Sailor Neo Moon waved her hand in a gesture for him to stop groveling. "Please don't do that. Anyways, we're here to see Shampoo."  
  
"My darling Shampoo? She's out on a delivery. She should be back in fifteen or twenty minutes or so." Mousse stared at the two beautiful girls. "Is there anything I could get for you while you're waiting for her? Is there something I could help you with?" He fought the urge to faint.  
  
Sailor Sun was amused at Mousse's antics. She was thankful that the disguise magic worked on Mousse since he didn't show any signs of recognizing Ranma as Sailor Sun. "I could use a beef ramen and a coke."  
  
Neo Moon thought about the drinks. "Could I have a coke too? It's been a while since I've had one of those. Oh, and I'll take a beef ramen too."  
  
Mousse took the two glasses of water from his serving tray and placed them before the Senshi. He tipped the glass in front of Sailor Sun and barely avoided splashing himself with it to go quackers. He took a hidden towel from his sleeve and wiped away the water. The duck-boy quickly ran to the kitchen to give Cologne the orders.  
  
Sailor Sun instinctively moved back to avoid the flying water. She waited until the part time duck was out of earshot before speaking. "I keep forgetting that the curse is dormant when I'm like this." She snapped her chopsticks apart and held them ready for the upcoming meal. "It's been a while since you've had a Coca Cola?"  
  
"Things are different after nine hundred years." Neo Moon smirked at her companion. "Some things change, and some things don't." She winked at Sun.  
  
"I'm actually alive nine hundred years from now? What about Ak... Sailor Io?"  
  
Neo Moon debated in her mind about what she could and couldn't tell Sailor Sun about the future. Her friend had already deduced that she was going to be alive for a long time. If she didn't tell her about Akane's future, Sun would worry unnecessarily. "Ok, I'll tell you this. You and Io live very happily in the future. You two are great friends with all of the Senshi. However, don't let that make you cockier than you already are. If you don't take things seriously, you could still die and change the future. Do you understand?"  
  
Sun was staring into space. She was lost in thought, slowly forming a simple smile on her face. She closed her eyes and barely nodded her head. "Ya know. This Senshi stuff is going to take some getting used to. I mean, living for nine hundred years, I'm still having a difficult time accepting that."  
  
"Well, let's stop talking about the future and wait for Shampoo to show up. Oh, I know what I wanted to ask. Where did you meet Shampoo?"  
  
Sun grew pale, as she didn't want to tell her life story within earshot of the old prune. "We're in the C-c-ccc... the Cafe rabbit head. Let's not discuss anything like that or the old hag 'll hear us. She's not someone I would ever underestimate ever again."  
  
"Right. Well, when Shampoo gets here, we'll just find someplace private we can talk." Neo Moon looked around the place. It was empty of customers but it wouldn't be for long.  
  
Mousse came back holding his serving tray containing their meals. He set down the drinks and the ramen bowls. He bowed and scurried off. In moments, both Senshi wolfed down their food as if their lives depended on it. Sun popped her eyes open in dark revelation. "Moon? Does Senshi magic counteract Amazon love potions?"  
  
"Oh, I forgot about that part of your past." The tall Senshi slurped down the last of her noodles into her mouth. "I think we're immune to most normal poisons but magical potions could still affect us darling." Moon had hearts in her eyes and swooned.  
  
Sun looked down at the bowls. "Oh boy. Could you use your Moon wand to break the spell? Don't look at me like that!"  
  
Moon's eyes reverted back to normal. She laughed out loud. "I'm just teasing you. C'mon lighten up!"  
  
"That's not funny!"  
  
An old voice spoke from behind. "What's not funny?" Sun slowly turned around facing the old crinkly form of Cologne on her cane. "Hello you two. Please don't let me disturb you." She bowed reverently. "Honored Sailor Senshi." She lifted her head and stared at Sailor Sun.  
  
Sun gulped. "Uh... You... You're not disturbing us. Uh..." Sun was worried about Cologne's ability to read ki. It dawned on her that she shouldn't have come in.  
  
"Don't worry Ranma. I've known about you for quite some time." The Amazon matriarch smugly answered. Ranma realized again the she had underestimated Cologne and was at her mercy. "And you're Usagi Tsukino aren't you?"  
  
It was Neo Moon's turn to gulp. "Uh... No."  
  
"My name is Cologne." She bowed her head in greeting. "You should really consider dying your hair young lady if you want to keep your identity a secret." She tapped the bunny ears on Neo Moon's head. "The hairstyle is another dead giveaway. But I must admit, your disguise magic was very difficult to dispel for me. Ranma over here however, your ki signature is something I could sense for kilometers. Your magic doesn't do anything to hide your ki."  
  
The two girls shared a collective fit of depression worthy of Ryoga. They both thought, "Whoops."  
  
Cologne continued. "So, why do you wish to speak to my great grand-daughter? Have you reconsidered your thoughts about Shampoo?" She raised her eyebrow in Sun's direction.  
  
"She doesn't know about this does she?" Sun pulled on her collar of her Sailor Suit.  
  
"Don't worry. I've not shared my knowledge with anyone." She hopped closer to the booth until she stood right next to it. "However, I would like it if you eventually shared this with Shampoo. It might make her... Change her opinion about whom she should wed."  
  
"Change her opinion to what? Use physical force to drag me off to China?" Sun groaned.  
  
"You of all people should know how stubborn my great granddaughter could get. Her feelings run deep and are not ones that she could turn off like a faucet." Cologne looked downcast. "I worry for her. She's making an effort to lessen her desires for you, but she needs your friendship at bare minimum. I'm afraid of what she could do if you shut her out completely from your life."  
  
Sun looked at the table, staring into her empty ramen bowl. "Yeah, I've been a little rough on her. But she's got to get it through her head that I'm not marrying her."  
  
"Even though you may not share the same love that she feels for you. At least share your feelings of friendship." Cologne glanced at the doorway. "She's still a person after all and she wants to be your friend. I don't want my great grandchild to suffer. Be her friend Ranma, she has a lot of respect for you." The old woman looked downward whispering. "And love..." The matriarch hopped back to the kitchen without another word.  
  
Neo Moon watched the tiny woman hop away. "So that's Cologne."  
  
Sun stared at the ceiling. "Yep, that's the one who made my life hell several times. I'll tell you about the Full Body C-C-Cat Tongue pressure point sometime."  
  
"Nihao!" Shampoo entered the restaurant carrying her empty ramen box. She stopped the moment she saw the Senshi. She stood next to the two girls in awe. "Honored Senshi." She bowed to each of them. "Shampoo happy to see Senshi again."  
  
Neo Moon bowed while still seated. Sun took a moment to notice Neo Moon's lead and bowed as well in the Amazon's direction. Neo Moon asked, "Is there somewhere private we can talk for a moment?"  
  
"Talk private with Shampoo? Ok, this way." She bounded off with the Senshi following. They ended up in Shampoo's bedroom and the Amazon closed the door. "Private?"  
  
"I think this will do." Neo Moon sat down on Shampoo's futon.  
  
Sun paused for a moment. "I'll be back in a sec." She pulled open the door causing Mousse and Cologne to spill out. She grabbed Mousse. "Sun Beam Transport!" She and the duck man were gone.  
  
Cologne stood up. "I guess I'll be going now." She turned around to see a flash of light. The red head grabbed her too. Before Cologne could wiggle free they vanished again.  
  
Fifteen seconds later Sun appeared again. She ran to the front of the store, put up the 'closed' sign and locked the front door. She ran back to Shampoo's room. "Now, we really have some privacy."  
  
"What Senshi do with great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked innocently.  
  
"They're on the other side of town. We have about ten minutes before they can run back so Neo Moon, if you've got something to say, say it now."  
  
"Well Shampoo, I just wanted to say that you were very brave back there. I was honored to have you fight to protect our friends."  
  
Shampoo held her hands together. "Oh, thank you. It was honor to help Senshi." Shampoo blinked. "Why Senshi say now? Senshi tell Shampoo when at hospital with Spatula Girl."  
  
Neo Moon looked deeply at the eyes of the Amazon. She was amazed at how a girl that sounded so innocent could be such a deadly warrior. "I have to leave and I don't know if I'll ever return. I just wanted to say goodbye to you."  
  
"Goodbye? Senshi no want help from Shampoo anymore?" Shampoo looked saddened by the news.  
  
Sun spoke up. "No. No. It's not like that! She's the only one who's leaving. I'm staying here."  
  
"Senshi want to live with Shampoo?" She tilted her head in confusion.  
  
"No. Uh, I'm staying on Earth while Moon here is going somewhere else." Sun breathed a sigh of relief, as she didn't shove her boot in her mouth with her sentence.  
  
"Shampoo understand." She bowed to the floor before Neo Moon. "Shampoo honored Senshi see Shampoo before great journey."  
  
Neo Moon looked down on the purple haired girl. "The honor is mine Shampoo. I just wanted to meet you privately before I returned home."  
  
Shampoo lifted her head to look upon the pink haired Senshi. "Home? Are not all Senshi from Japan?"  
  
Sun rolled her eyes. The Amazon was too smart for her own good. Sun started looking around the room for something to take her mind off of the conversation.  
  
Neo Moon scratched her head. "Well, we live in Japan right now, but we come from all over the place. I just need to go back from where I came from for now."  
  
"Oh. Is there anything Shampoo do for Senshi?" She turned to see Sailor Sun staring at her dresser. On it, were several pictures of Ranma in battle poses and a single picture of Ranma in her girl form. "Senshi see something Senshi like?"  
  
Sun sighed at the size of the collection of photos Shampoo had amassed. She wondered if she was Nabiki's second biggest customer. She decided to get some answers from the Amazon since she was hidden in plain sight. "Shampoo, is this your boyfriend?"  
  
Shampoo got sad and tears formed on her eyes. "No. Not boyfriend."  
  
"Who is he then?"  
  
"Ranma." Shampoo sniffed.  
  
Sun felt really bad. She picked up a photo of Shampoo and Ranma together inside of a photo had everyone they knew in a group shot. It was a copy of the photo that Ranma gave to Akane last Christmas in a frame she bought for her wife. All of the other photos on the dresser were either of Ranma alone or Ranma and Akane with Akane covered up with Shampoo pasted in her place. "D-do you?" She dropped her head in sadness. "Do you love him?"  
  
Shampoo remained silent. She remained on her knees contemplating her answer. "Ranma no love Shampoo." She began to cry.  
  
Neo Moon kneeled next to the girl. "There, there. I'm certain he wants to be your friend. Right Sun?"  
  
Sun put the picture back. She kneeled down on the other side of Shampoo. "I'm certain that he's your friend as... Uh..." Sun avoided saying something that would have resulted in a mallet attack had this been spoken to Akane. "I think he LIKES you. But uh... Isn't he married now?"  
  
"Yes. Ranma marry Akane, not Shampoo." She wept a shower of tears.  
  
Sun wanted to leave, depart, flee, run or teleport. She didn't want to see Shampoo cry but she feared speaking something that would make things worse even more.  
  
Neo Moon held Shampoo's hand to comfort the crying girl. She was amazed at how this trained killer was deep down inside still a sweet girl who just simply wanted to be loved. Neo Moon lifted the crying girl's chin. "Maybe it wasn't meant to be."  
  
Shampoo convulsed at the level of crying she reached. "Why no meant to be? Shampoo love Ranma. Senshi, please tell Ranma Shampoo love Ranma. Maybe Ranma listen to Senshi?"  
  
Sun gripped the dresser drawer tight. She repeated in her head to keep from speaking. "I am Sailor Sun right now. I am not Ranma. I am Sailor Sun right now. I am not Ranma."  
  
Neo Moon looked up at Sun. "I think Ranma knows that you love him." She faced the Amazon again. "You have to understand that his heart belongs to Akane."  
  
"Shampoo know Ranma heart belong to Akane. Shampoo want... Shampoo no know what Shampoo want."  
  
"Will you listen to the Senshi?"  
  
"Huh?" Shampoo stifled her tears for a moment. "Shampoo listen honored Senshi." She rubbed her eyes to wipe away the water.  
  
"Then listen to me." Moon shot a glance to Sun then back to Shampoo. "Ranma is your friend. Nothing is going to change that. But you've got to stop your pursuit of him. It's only going to destroy you."  
  
Shampoo cast her eyes down as her dream of bearing Ranma's daughter was smashed into millions of pieces. She held her arms holding an invisible infant and gently stroked it's non-existent hair. She sat quietly waiting for Moon to finish.  
  
"Can you do it for Ranma?" Shampoo shuddered. Neo Moon continued, "Can you do that for me?  
  
Shampoo weakly lifted her head to look at Neo Moon's glittering eyes. The Amazon remained silent for a minute and the room was quiet with only the sound of the morning breeze giving any indication that there was any life present. Sailor Sun stared at the two girls on Shampoo's bed making sure she didn't utter a word despite her urge to bolt or teleport out.  
  
Neo Moon cracked a smile. "We're friends right?"  
  
Shampoo brightened up a little and emerged from the darkness she felt. "Friends? Senshi want be friends with Shampoo?"  
  
"Of course Shampoo. I'm your friend." Neo Moon nodded. "And as my friend, I want you to be happy."  
  
"Shampoo friend of honored Senshi." The purple haired girl was bubbling with excitement. "Great honor to be Senshi friend."  
  
"I'm certain Sailor Sun is your friend too. Right Sun?" Neo Moon tilted her head to get Sun's attention.  
  
Sun fell out of her daze and went along with Moon's lead. She reached out her hand on Shampoo's shoulder. "That's right Shampoo. I want to be your friend."  
  
Shampoo reached to her shoulder to touch Sun's hand. The hand felt familiar and comforting. "Shampoo happy Sailor Sun Shampoo friend."  
  
Neo Moon grinned since her plan was finally bearing some fruit. "Now, the Senshi doesn't like to see our friends hurt or sad. So, I need you to promise me that you'll try to be Ranma's friend instead of his wife."  
  
Shampoo spun her head back to face Neo Moon. "Please, no ask that. Shampoo lose all honor if no go home with husband."  
  
Neo Moon played her cards like a professional. She had studied the Amazon laws with a good friend who coached her on what she had to say. "Which is a greater honor, Ranma as a husband or you being a friend of the Sailor Senshi? Do you want an alliance with just one man? Or eleven Sailor Senshi?"  
  
Shampoo was stunned. The mere thought of going to the village with an alliance with the Sailor Senshi was something she had never considered. It was an honor that nothing else could match. "Senshi alliance great honor."  
  
"Then, I propose that if your village is in trouble. You can call on us to help you. I'm not asking you to abandon Ranma. I'm just asking you to stop hurting Akane and let Ranma live in piece. You can still see him whenever you want to, just don't try to tear him and his wife apart."  
  
"Senshi." Shampoo turned her head rapidly to look at both girls' faces. She stopped at Sun's face in a desperate last minute plea. "Please understand. Shampoo love Ranma. Shampoo no want life with no Ranma."  
  
Sailor Sun wanted to burst into tears at the look of love that had shone in Shampoo's face. The girl was completely in love with Ranma and was begging for some way for her to continue her pursuit of him. She found some words to say to the pitiful girl. "Shampoo, Ranma loves you but not in that way. He could love you as a sister or maybe as a cousin, but he can't love you as a husband."  
  
Shampoo grew cold and angry. "Maybe if Akane no obstacle."  
  
Neo Moon grabbed the Amazon in a threatening embrace. "You TOUCH Akane and I will personally return to torture you and wipe out your village!"  
  
Shampoo instantly reverted back into frightened girl state. "Shampoo sorry! Shampoo so sorry! Shampoo no hurt Akane. Shampoo promise!" She cried in earnest. "Shampoo promise!" The Amazon completely broke down falling sideways on her bed. She whimpered. "Shampoo promise. Please forgive Shampoo. Please."  
  
Sailor Sun was aghast at the display before her. The Amazon was going through a roller coaster ride of emotions and all Sun could do was watch and hope she didn't crash. She sat down next to weeping girl who curled up in a fetal position. "I forgive you. Keep your promise and I'll protect your village in return."  
  
Shampoo stopped crying. "Sun will? Sun promise protect village?"  
  
"You swear that if you leave me... Uh... Ranma and Akane alone and stop trying to hurt them or steal Ranma." She paused for a moment. "I'll promise to be there if you need me."  
  
Shampoo contemplated the offer. "Can Shampoo still see Ranma? Yes?"  
  
Sailor Sun smiled. "I think he'll be happy to see ya if ya don't grab him like ya usually do. Yes, you can still see him. Just don't try to marry him."  
  
Shampoo chattered her jaw in nervousness. She was given a life altering choice and she didn't want to make the wrong one. She gazed up at the dresser drawer and stared at her favorite picture of Ranma on it. A large picture of Ranma leaping in the air delivering a blow to some off camera foe reminded her of what she was giving up. Or was she giving up anything? She thought about all the times Ranma had rejected her. She thought about the times that she saw Ranma looking at Akane with glimmer in his eye. A glimmer she dreamed that would be directed at her. A glimmer that she had to accept would never be hers.  
  
Shampoo whispered. "I promise."  
  
The two Senshi lifted their ears. Sun asked. "Say again? I didn't hear you."  
  
Shampoo sat up straight on her bed. "Xian Pu, great granddaughter of leader of tribe promise to reject Xian Pu marriage to Ranma Saotome. Xian Pu accept offer of protection of Senshi."  
  
Sailor Sun stood at attention. "I, Sailor Sun of the Sailor Senshi promise to protect your village in your time of need."  
  
Neo Moon breathed a sigh of relief. She thought to herself. "This was much harder than I thought."  
  
"Shampoo want know. How Shampoo talk to Senshi?"  
  
Neo Moon pulled out a little pink calculator. "Press one five zero to call Sailor Sun."  
  
Shampoo bounced on the giddy as a little girl who just opened a Christmas present. "Is Shampoo Senshi now?"  
  
Sailor Sun violently shook her head waving her arms around. "No! You're not a Senshi."  
  
Neo Moon clenched her jaw to stop of laughing her fool head off at Sun's antics. When Sun stopped acting like an idiot, Neo Moon was able to speak in a normal tone. "It's a way of contacting us. You can only use it in emergencies only. Don't use it unless you or your village is in danger."  
  
Shampoo bowed before Sailor Sun. "Shampoo want to be worthy of Senshi protection. Thank you for great honor for Shampoo."  
  
Sun gave a cocky smile. "It wasn't nothing."  
  
Neo Moon got up to walk to the door. "I think it's time for us to go."  
  
Sun sensed the restaurant for unwanted listeners. Her time in Nabiki's presence had honed her skills to detect eavesdroppers. She was satisfied that no one had heard their conversation yet. "Oh yeah. Besides the old ghoul should be here any minute now. Where to now?"  
  
"My place. I've got to go to school to withdraw from class and you've got detention."  
  
Sun got depressed. "Thanks for reminding me. Sun Beam Transport!"  
  
Shampoo sat alone in her room holding her Sailor Senshi communicator. She reached over to pick up one of her altered pictures of Ranma. She gently opened the picture frame and pulled out the cut out of herself that covered the image of Akane. She sealed the frame and held the picture of Ranma and Akane in one hand and her Scout communicator in the other.  
  
She embraced both items against her bosom and wept.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
It was a simple little park in Juuban. Usa stood at the end of the dock of a tiny little lake and looked up into the sky. She reached into her blouse and pulled out the gold time key attached to the end of her gold chain necklace and held the key tight. The key glistened in the evening light as she slowly turned it back and forth in her hand. She breathed a sigh of sadness as she realized that it might be some time if ever before she would return to the 21st century.  
  
Usa felt sorrow at having to leave her friends, but she was not saying goodbye forever. In moments, she would be seeing them again, but the collected group standing behind her would wait several lifetimes before they would see Usa again. She gently let the key rest on her bosom and turned to face her companions. "I'm going to miss you. All of you."  
  
Usagi beamed at how her daughter had grown. She stepped forward and held her future child tight. Both girls closed their eyes and shed small tears as they gripped each other, neither one wanting to be the first to end the moment. Usagi slowly whispered, "I'm going to miss you too."  
  
Minako was the next one to give a hug to Usa. She let the dam burst as she began the waterworks. "I hope I'll see you again soon." The blond girl sniffed and stood back to give Makoto her turn.  
  
Makoto kissed Usa on the cheek. "You keep up your martial arts lessons and maybe you'll be as good as me."  
  
Usa smiled and tapped Makoto's nose. "I can kick your butt right now." She feigned a punch and Makoto moved to block it.  
  
Makoto kept her guard up. "Maybe next time Usa, we can have a little match." She stood back.  
  
Ami stood before the pink haired girl. "Are you sure you can't let me have that computer of yours?" She gave a hopeful smile but already knew the answer. Usa would never leave behind anything from the future.  
  
Usa winked at the Mercury princess. "Nice try Ami." Ami embraced her future friend and gave her a peck on the cheek.  
  
Akane came up to the girl and gave a gentle hug. "I wish you could stay a little longer. I really would like to get to know you a little better."  
  
Usa held Akane's hands and gazed at her face. "We'll know each other very well someday Akane." Usa stared at Akane's face and compared it to the Akane she knew in the future. The Akane of the future had a fuller face and held an air of maturity that was absent of the Akane of the present. Usa giggled for a moment realizing how her friend currently made life hell for her husband by malleting first and asking questions later. Future Akane was much more mellow and thought things through then the girl standing before Usa.  
  
Ranma was happy to stand back and let the girls have their cry fest. He stood next to Mamoru and watched him approach his daughter and kissed her on the cheeks. Usa released her father and walked up to Ranma and hugged him. "I'll see you soon Sailor Sun. Sorry I was mean to you when I got here." Usa stood back and looked deep into the pig-tailed martial artist's eyes. The eyes had not changed in centuries that were going to pass in seconds for the tall girl. She gave a small bow of respect for her teacher and pulled back to face the last one that wanted to say goodbye.  
  
Hotaru's teary eyes told everything she felt with just her face. She stepped up to her childhood friend and craned her head up to view Usa's features from where they towered over the tiny Senshi. "Why Chibi-Usa? Why do you have to go? You only just got here." She threw her arms around her friend's waist and refused to let go. "Why?" She sobbed.  
  
Usa bent her knees and held her friend tight. "We'll be together again Hotaru. I promise." She touched Hotaru's chin and gave a look of love to her dearest friend in the 21st century.  
  
"B-but.. I want you to stay!" Hotaru cried, letting the tears freely flow onto her blouse. "Please don't go! We didn't have any time together!"  
  
"I have to go." Usa brushed away a tear from her own face. "My mom and dad miss me too." She bent over to Hotaru's ear. "And you're missing me too. You don't want me to keep you waiting do you?"  
  
The Senshi of silence let out a sigh, as she held on tight to her friend in a desperate attempt to change the future girl's mind. A moment passed and Hotaru released her grip as the taller girl gently removed her hands from her waist and held them tight. "I won't forget you Chibi-Usa." Michiru pulled Hotaru back. The outers stood in the own little group with Hotaru being the only one showing any signs of emotion.  
  
"I know you won't Hotaru." Usa got up and looked at her friends. She felt the love from them all and wished the moment would never end. Facing the inevitable, she turned on her heel and walked to the very end of the dock. She took one last look around for any unwanted witnesses and held her time key aloft.  
  
"Kronos, keeper of time, answer my call and open the gates of time before me!" A cloud formed high above the pink haired girl and lighting flashed across the evening sky. A small wind blew papers and leaves around while a beam of light hit the end of the dock.  
  
A pattern of sparkles shimmered and flew like fireflies before Usa. She looked down at Diana who nodded in approval. The little cat walked to the portal. "See you in a moment." Diana turned to see Luna and Artemis giving looks of sadness at seeing their daughter off. Ranma closed his eyes and tried to ignore the cats presence. "Bye Mom! Bye Dad! I'll see you soon!" Diana turned and ran into the portal, vanishing in a flash of light.  
  
Usa clapped her hands twice. Luna-P flew in from nowhere and hovered above her master. "Luna-P home!" She pointed her finger at the portal. The cathead shaped balloon made a beeline into the light storm and flashed to the future.  
  
Usa took a step closer to home, stopped and paused in thought. She wanted to stay and live out her life with her adopted family. She stared at the beckoning lights toward home and knew that the people standing behind her were the same as the ones she was coming home to.   
  
Without looking back, she stepped into the portal toward home.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Sailor Ganymede scraped her griddle with an old fashioned cleaning tool. She could have just pressed a button and the stovetop would have been cleaned in an instant, but there was no fun in that. Ganymede rubbed away the last of the carbon from the lunch she made and wiped away the grime with a composite fiber towel.  
  
Sailor Callisto peeked into the large kitchen that Ganymede was in. "Aren't you done yet?"  
  
"I would have been done earlier if SOMEONE gave me a hand."  
  
Callisto giggled. "Or you would have been done as soon as you hit the 'auto-clean' button. Anyways, Io's waiting and she's losing her patience."  
  
"Fine!" Ganymede held up her cleaning tool above her head. "Bot. Stow." A tiny flying robot appeared grabbing the implement to put it away. "I still think this is a really stupid idea." The Senshi of Jupiter's rocky moon entered her large living room where she met up with the rest of her Senshi clan.  
  
Sailors Titan, Callisto, Europa were standing around Sailor Io who was aiming a large sniper rifle at a vase across the room. Io adjusted the eyepiece on the ultra-long range scope and got a bead on the tallest flower. The auto-tracking system locked on and the reticule turned red indicating that the rose was only a trigger squeeze away from being vaporized. Io raised the muzzle of the one and a half meter long weapon to the ceiling. "Ganymede! She's only going be in her room for only a few minutes."  
  
"You sure you wanna do this? She's going to be really pissed if you tag her."  
  
Europa shook her head. "She's going to be even more pissed if you miss her, mom."  
  
Io slapped an energy clip into the weapon and hit the button to charge the gun for a blast. She smirked in anticipation of some payback. "Complain about my cooking will she?"  
  
"Mom, she was only kidding. Your casserole was the your best yet."  
  
Io glared at her daughter. "She said she didn't like it!"  
  
"She was only kidding. You know how she likes to pull your chain."  
  
"Well, I'm don't like it when she does that. I spent two hours making that for that ungrateful jerk and besides..." She locked onto a different flower to check the gun's ability to hold a lock. "I hadn't tagged her in three months."  
  
Ganymede stood with her arms folded. Titan checked her watch. "You've got only two minutes remaining. Are you going to do it or not?"  
  
Io ejected the energy cartridge since the gun's blast capacitor was fully charged. "I'm ready. I hit the mark the last three times we simulated this. I'm going to do it."  
  
Ganymede raised her gloved hands to the ceiling as she tossed her common sense out the window. "What the hell? It's not like we've got to meet Sailor Moon from her trip to the past or nothing. What time was that anyways?"  
  
Callisto checked her Sailor watch that had an organizer in it. "We've got to be at the palace in forty-three minutes." She clicked off the holographic display. "Just about everyone's going to be there."  
  
Io's eyes shone a gleam as a dark excuse came to her mind to justify what she was planning. "And that's why we need to make sure that security is air tight. That's our job after all."  
  
Ganymede corrected her. "No, the palace guard is supposed to watch out for the queen. Our job is to kick ass and take names."  
  
"Well?" Io smiled a dark evil smile. "Shall we kick her ass?"  
  
Sailor Ganymede simply returned the evil smile then stood behind Sailor Io. "Shall I start the checklist?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ganymede listed the needed items. "Rifle?"  
  
"Locked and loaded."  
  
"Target?"  
  
She checked her topographic display in the gun's computer sight. It had a map of a terrain with a building outlined in red. "Programmed."  
  
"Anti-gravity belt?"  
  
Io checked her belt. She hit the button to float a few centimeters in the air. Ganymede floated behind her since she was checking her belt as well. "Check."  
  
"I guess we're ready to do another stupid thing. Ready?"  
  
Io turned to her friends. "Clear. I'm dropping the safety." The other girls gave Io a wide berth as she held her rifle to her eye and aimed it at the wall. "Ready."  
  
Sailor Ganymede concentrated her power of mimicking. She drew from the power of the Sun as her leader did except for Ganymede, her power of duplication was a spell she alone possessed. She opened her eyes exposing her black pupils with flames in the center.  
  
Europa loved it when Ganymede imitated another Scout's powers. "Auntie Ganymede, could you do Sailor Mars' Burning Mandala next time?"  
  
"Don't bug me when I'm concentrating." Europa's aunt held onto Io tight. "Last chance to chicken out."  
  
"Let's go. Count down."  
  
Ganymede concentrated on the teleport destination. "I've got it. Five, four, three, two, one. Mimic Sun Beam Transport!" The two Senshi vanished in a bright beam of light.  
  
Sailors Titan, Europa and Callisto shrugged at the same time then sat down on the couches that surrounded the low lying table in the center of the room. Callisto activated her organizer listing all the Senshi's bets that Sailor Charon was taking. It listed entries from Mars, Venus, Terra, Saturn and Jupiter. "I'm putting down fifty credits saying that she nails her."  
  
Titan grinned. "Sun's too smart. Put me down for her avoiding the shot!"  
  
Europa sighed.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
A flash of light appeared five kilometers away and three kilometers in the sky from a spacious home in northern Crystal Tokyo. Hundreds of years ago, the area was called the Nerima district of Tokyo Japan but today it was the home of the Saotome-Tendo martial arts complex. The home of Sailors Io, Sun and Europa was in the center of the sprawling utopia for students of the art. Io materialized with Ganymede clutching her midsection and they began their free fall. Ganymede released Io to allow the yellow-skirted sniper to take her shot. In the space of two seconds, she locked on and squeezed the trigger.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Sailor Sun looked at herself in the mirror against the wall of her spacious bedroom. She looked over both of her shoulders to check if her wings weren't in the way of her formal gown. She frowned and held her henshin stick in the air calling out, "Sun Crystal Power! Make Up!" She spun in the air and changed into her Eternal Sailor Sun uniform with the puffed sleeves, longer gloves and same pair of annoying feathered wings that Eternal Sailor Moon had when she transformed into her Eternal form.  
  
Sun sulked at the image before her. "What good are these wings if I can't use them to fly?" She did a slow pirouette to look at herself from all angles and still wasn't happy with her appearance. She stood with her legs apart holding her henshin stick high above her. "Sun Star Power! Make Up!" Flames engulfed her once again as she transformed into her original and most comfortable uniform. She adjusted her tiara and bows smiling at her reflection. "Much better." Sun was about to move away from the mirror when her danger sense kicked it. She was about to jump aside when an energy bolt flew in the window, hitting the Senshi in the arm knocking her down to the ground.  
  
The red head was stunned and met the floor face first planting her nose into the lush carpet covering the ground. She muttered to no one. "I think I know who I can thank for this." BEEP! Her holographic communicator on her wrist projected an image of a happy Sailor Io with an ecstatic look on her face and her hair blowing upwards in a high wind.   
  
"Gotcha! Ha ha ha!" Io glanced at something off camera as she was hitting some off screen control panel. "I'll be there in a second."  
  
Sun grumbled something.  
  
A flash of light appeared in the room leaving Sailor Io in its wake. She had activated one of Sailor Mercury's teleporters remotely to appear back in her bedroom in Crystal Tokyo. She shut off her sniper rifle and folded the stock. She slung it over her shoulder like a professional marksman. "That's what you get when you let your guard down Sun."  
  
Sun grumbled again.  
  
Io tapped her lover with the tip of her boot. "Get up sleepy head. I only hit you with a ten second stun charge which for you is maximum power."  
  
The Senshi of the Sun grumbled a third time saying something about uncute macho tomboys. She lifted herself off the ground glaring at her wife all the way up to standing position. She took a deep breath. "Yeah, ya got me fair and square. I sensed you a little too late."  
  
Io never stopped smiling. She pointed her finger at Sun to speak the mantra. "Always..."  
  
Sun finished the sentence. "Keep your guard up. Don't remind me. I'm the one who's supposed to tell you that. So, how did you beam yourself without triggering the teleportation detection alarm?"  
  
Sailor Ganymede appeared behind Sun. "I mimicked your Sun Beam Transport. You forgot that the detectors don't signal an alarm if the magic signature is yours."  
  
Sun rubbed her arm. "I'll talk to Mercury about what we can do to fix that security hole." She turned to her wife. "Good shot dear. The point goes to you this time." She kissed her on the lips.  
  
Io was pleased that her plan worked. The warrior elite as Sun's team was called, was on a perpetual state of alert with training exercises sprung on team members at any hour of any day. Sailor Sun would have it no other way. Io's part of the team was to train everyone on energy weapon avoidance with random sniper shots coming from any direction and time. Io took great pleasure in putting to sleep every member of the Queen's personal guard as she exposed flaws in the defense grid of the Crystal Palace. Sailor Sun was the most difficult person to blast, but then she was the best of the team.  
  
Sun's method of training was much more brutal. She would teleport behind the guards and take them down with a martial arts blow. Her record was twenty-two guards knocked out in a single session before the alarm was triggered. Queen Serenity was not happy when Sailors Io, Ganymede, Callisto and Sun making a coordinated attack that stunned the outer perimeter guard used her wedding anniversary as a diversion last year. Queen Serenity and King Endymion stood at their balcony during a break in the festivities to see her guard's sleeping bodies placed on the grass below spelling out, "Happy Ann." The warrior elite ran out of guards to spell out the phrase completely but the message was delivered. Beef up security!  
  
The King and Queen didn't mind Sun's antics and methods of training since they were a necessary evil. The warriors sworn duty was to protect the Earth from threats from within and without. Neo Queen Serenity learned from the mistakes of the past. When the Moon Kingdom existed, the first Queen Serenity ruled with only love and justice. But the enemies of peace used tactics and treachery that Serenity simply couldn't in good conscience use in return. As a result, millions of innocent people died when Queen Beryl attacked and the beautiful kingdom of the moon fell.  
  
The Warrior Senshi were called to fill in that hole in their defense. The warrior's hearts were pure and kind but they all had a fire and spirit that allowed them to do things that only Sailor Uranus and Neptune could understand. Sailor Sun led the warriors on a never-ending quest to root out any potential threats to the people of Earth and to lead missions far from home.  
  
Io massaged her husband's arm to relieve the tension that the energy blast gave her. "So dear, ready to go to see Chibi-Usa come back from the past."  
  
"Yep. I'll have to get even more tough on that little spore since she missed out on her training for the last week."  
  
"You forgot? She worked out with us on the roof."  
  
"You remember that?"  
  
"Yes I remember that. That was the time when Tokyo was overrun with giant lizards. That's something you don't forget, even after nine hundred years." Io pushed aside one of Sun's bangs. "You've been really hard on her. I think you should ease up just a little."  
  
"What?" Sun turned to face her wife of nine hundred years. "At least I never chucked her into a pit of starving cats!"  
  
Io massaged Sun's shoulders. "No, but you wanted to after she blasted our family katana when her ki blast went astray."  
  
"Well she's lucky that the force field held. If she even put a scratch on..." Io quieted her husband with another kiss.  
  
"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Ganymede rolled her eyes, hit her teleportation button and faded away.  
  
Sailor Sun watched her fellow Senshi disappear. She changed back into Ranko. She plucked a light green squirt gun from nowhere and shot her own face with it. Ranma tossed the gun back into nothingness and embraced his wife. "I love you Akane."  
  
"I love you Ranma." Io changed back to Akane and held her husband in a loving embrace.  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Sailor Pluto stood at attention in the audience chamber in the Queen's palace in Crystal Tokyo. She took another look at her watch. "They should be here by now."  
  
As if on cue, the doors opened and a group of Senshi ran in. Sailors Titan, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto stood at attention. Pluto looked at the four and shook her head. "Where's your leader?"  
  
Ganymede and Europa exchanged worried glances. Europa stuttered, "I... I... I think my parents are still training."  
  
Pluto stared at the ceiling for a moment. "Again? Which military base are they taking out this time? Or are they harassing Sailor Uranus and storming her castle?" Pluto rubbed her head in frustration hoping that those two Senshi weren't using this opportunity to try to break into the Gates of Time like they did four years ago. A bright flash of light appeared in the center of the room. Sailor Sun released Io who went to give her daughter a hug.  
  
Europa was embarrassed. "Mom! Sailor Moon's going to be here at any moment."  
  
Io let go of her daughter Sailor Europa. "Let's get ready then." Io stood in line with the rest of the warriors.  
  
Sailor Sun took stock of her team. They were all accounted for except for Charon. "Where's Charon?"   
  
Titan griped. "She's probably collecting the money from all the bets."  
  
"What? Don't tell me that she ran another betting pool?"  
  
Callisto clapped her hands. "I won the pool!"  
  
"Callisto? You bet against me?"  
  
Titan turned her head quickly so that her purple locks flew in a wide circle. "I thought you wouldn't get hit and now I'm out fifty credits." She peeked an eye from under her bangs. "You owe me!"  
  
"Hey! I don't owe you a thing! You girls should already know that taking bets with Charon is a bad idea."  
  
"But I won!" Callisto bounced.  
  
"Chill out sugar." Ganymede mumbled while she grabbed the shoulders of her mate. "Or it's back to the couch for you."  
  
"You never let me have any fun!"  
  
Ganymede was about to scold her companion when the Inner Senshi arrived with the Outer Senshi following close behind.  
  
Sailor Pluto wiped the sweat from her brow as she led everyone to their places. The girls formed a loose semi-circle around a small circle that was marked in the audience chamber. Pluto scanned the group and frowned. "Where's Moon's Senshi?"  
  
Half of the collected girls shrugged while the others looked around as if the Amazon Quartet was hidden in the shadows. Mars tapped her chin in thought. "Aren't they on the moon?"  
  
Venus nodded. "That's right. They were looking for a present for Sailor Moon. I hope they get here soon." She gave a small sigh. "They should have invited me. I know where the best stores are."  
  
Pluto held her finger to her lips to quiet down the girls. "The King and Queen are here."  
  
On cue, the main doors opened and the King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo entered. King Endymion escorted his wife with Sailor Terra walking by Serenity's side. The Senshi of Earth was the only girl who came close to the Queen in the ability to love and make people put aside their differences.  
  
Sun whispered to Io. "Where's Charon?"  
  
Io whispered back. "How should I know? I wasn't in the betting pool."  
  
"Well she's your..." A vortex appeared in the center of the room stopping the conversation.  
  
Sailor Pluto stood before the vortex holding her time staff before her to keep it stable. A pink toned cat dropped out of the vortex and landed with a thud. Luna raced forward from Serenity's feet. "Diana! Are you all right?"  
  
The little cat shook her head. "I'm all right mother." Diana hopped onto her feet then ran to her mother.  
  
"Diana! You're supposed to land on your feet. What self respecting feline ever lands on their side like that?" Luna grabbed Diana by the scruff of the neck to carry her off for more feline training.  
  
Sailor Pluto turned back to focus on the vortex after being distracted by Luna's mothering. A cathead shaped balloon flew in and hovered behind Pluto. Ten more seconds passed then a bolt of lightning flashed down and hit Pluto's time key. The winds blew harder swirling in an ever-expanding circle. A beam of light fell from the vortex and into the center of the room a pink haired girl fell from the sky, performed a somersault and landed in a gymnast's pose on her two feet. "Ta da! I'm back!"  
  
Sailor Pluto waved her staff making the vortex instantly vanish. She held her time key off to her side. "Welcome home Chibi-Usa!"  
  
Chibi-Usa felt a tinge of sorrow for those people she had left behind in the past. She smiled back at the collected crowd who began clapping. They all cheered. "Welcome home!"  
  
The daughter of the Queen was at a loss for words. She rushed forward and held her mother. "I missed you."  
  
"I missed you too."  
  
Sailor Charon was leaning in the doorway. She had the same aloofness as her counterpart Sailor Pluto. She waited for the party to die down before she made her move.  
  
Ganymede asked Moon, "Did you deliver my presents?"  
  
"Yeah. It happened just like you said it would."  
  
Ganymede rubbed her temples. "Well, since my memories are intact and I didn't vanish, I guess everything went ok. I hate time travel."  
  
Several hours passed by. The Amazon Quartet finally arrived with a collection of holographic novels of her adventures with Godzilla. Of course, the pink haired girl would note the dozens of ways the movies would depart from what really happened but then, it was a Hollywood production and not real life.  
  
Sailor Charon tapped Chibi-Usa's shoulder once she was no longer constantly being mobbed. "You know what I want."  
  
Chibi Usa whined like her mother. "I just got here!"  
  
"You got here four hours and twelve minutes ago. I've got a ship standing by and they charge by the hour."  
  
Usa clapped her hands. Luna-P flew next to the party girl. Usa pressed the balloon's cat nose to pop open it's hatch. She pulled out the DNA samples and handed it to Charon. "I got them all including the big guy."  
  
Charon smiled a smile of genuine gratitude. "Thanks. Let's see if this trip was worth it." With that, she walked off to meet up with her spacecraft.  
  
"Oh Charon, stop being so serious." Usa looked back at her friends. "It was worth it."  
  
  
========================================  
  
  
Planet TK-2202 was the third planet from a yellow star over thirty thousand light years from Earth. It was a lonely place. Sailor Charon had a mission and she wasn't going to fail. Her chartered ship landed on the pad near a heavily armored research station. She emerged from the hatch, walking to the main entrance. She inserted her card key to unlock the armored door.   
  
The lab had the best cloning vats money could buy. Charon had lived several lifetimes to collect her vast wealth and was determined to make her dream a reality. She handed the ampoules and the memory crystal with the Genome sequences to her lead scientist. He inserted the crystal into the computer, pressed a few buttons and a hologram of a Panda appeared.  
  
Charon smiled. "I hadn't seen one of those since..." She gave an approving look to her team. "I'll be seeing one again soon."  
  
Dr. Anderson checked the data. "It looks like you will. We have complete Genome sequences for five specimens. Two male, three female, we'll have no problem bringing back this species." Another creature appeared on the screen. "Condor, this will be difficult since we have only two samples but it's a breeding pair. It's going to take a few years but no more than a decade and this bird will fly again."  
  
He skipped the files right to the last one. The image of Godzilla appeared. "Twenty two Genome sequences on file." He could barely hold back his excitement. "We should have the first embryos fertilized in a few weeks."  
  
Charon gave an approving nod. "Very well Doctor, keep me posted on the progress. This nature preserve will be second to none in the galaxy. Oh and don't forget to move your people to the orbital station once the Godzillas are introduced to the ecosystem. I don't want anyone getting hurt." She turned to leave her employees to do their work. She stopped as a maintenance worked walked by. "I need you to do something for me."  
  
Charon looked out the window of the shuttlecraft as it lifted off to return to Earth. She silently thought. "Damn I'm good. Save the whales and made a credit while doing it. I've certainly outdone myself." Sailor Charon felt warm and fuzzy. She was a soldier of love and justice and with her lifespan, she could make investments that would take decades to make a credit. She had the best of both worlds. She had Ranma to thank for this.  
  
As the ship flew off into the sky. A janitor unpacked a crate of supplies left behind. He pulled out a plaque, dusted it and mounted it on the outside of the laboratory wall.  
  
"Crystal Tokyo nature preserve. Created to honor those creatures that mankind had dishonored in the past."  
  
"Dedicated to the loving memories of Soun, Kimiko and Hinako Tendo."  
  
It was signed in the English signatures of several Sailor Senshi. One signature was slightly larger than the rest.  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from sharpening my claws on your bones.  
  
Can you guess which Sailor matches up with what character? Some are obvious, some are not.  
  
Want me to do another Sailor Ranko fic? You'd better send me an email or review my stuff on Fanfiction.net. It boosts my pathetic excuse for an ego.  
  
Bill Heineman  
February 11th, 2003  
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burger@contrabandent.com  
http://www.contrabandent.com/burgerbill  
======================================== 


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